Topic: Identify two countries which have different health care financing systems and discuss their impact upon the achievement of equity and efficiency goals. Illustrate your answer with reference to relevant country data and literature.
1.Outlines the key features of the health care financing systems in the two selected countries.
2. Critically discusses how their features contribute to efficiency goals, underpinned with reference to relevant literature and research.
3. Critically discusses how their features contribute to equity goals, underpinned with reference to relevant literature and research.
4. Critically discusses any potential trade-offs between efficiency and equity goals.
a. Introduction: Concise and clear introduction indicating the context and purpose of essay 10%
b. Features of the healthcare financing systems in the two countries of choice: Defines the healthcare financing system in each country in terms of population coverage, level of centralisation, type of service provision (private versus public), out-of-pocket expenditure, etc. 25%
c. Concepts of efficiency and equity: Defines both concepts and displays understanding of their meaning 15%
d. Discussion and evaluation of the two healthcare financing systems of choice: Critically discusses the two healthcare financing systems as they relate to achieving efficiency and equity, considering the nuances of each specific country. Discussion is supported by relevant literature and research. The existence of a trade-off between equity and efficiency is considered as well. 40%
e. Conclusion: Summarises key arguments and overarching conclusion 10%
