| Australia's pharmaceutical cost sharing policy: reducing waste or affordability? | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 19563311 Owner: NLM Status: In-Process |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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In this paper we argue that Australia's pharmaceutical cost sharing policy has been applied as if cost sharing is unproblematic for medicine affordability and good health outcomes. Australian and international experience with pharmaceutical cost sharing strongly suggests a negative impact on affordability and quality use of medicines, disproportionately affecting low income patients. We argue that Australia's use of cost sharing reflects the currency of a cognitively powerful and morally charged idea - moral hazard. Moral hazard refers to the change in behaviour induced by insurance coverage. Applied to pharmaceuticals, this means that low out-of-pocket cost will lead to waste. Moral hazard mixes the explanatory power of price with the intuitively cogent notion that if people do not experience consequences they will behave irresponsibly. Cost sharing policy has gone unscrutinised and uncontested not because cost sharing is unproblematic, but because in the light of the idea of moral hazard it has all the question-deadening weight of common sense. |
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Authors:
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Evan Doran; Jane Robertson |
Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association Volume: 33 ISSN: 0156-5788 ISO Abbreviation: Aust Health Rev Publication Date: 2009 May |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2009-06-30 Completed Date: - Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 8214381 Medline TA: Aust Health Rev Country: Australia |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 231-40 Citation Subset: H |
Affiliation:
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Clinical Pharmacology, University of Newcastle, Calvary Mater Hospital, Waratah, NSW 2298. evan.doran@newcastle.edu.au |
Export Citation:
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Descriptor/Qualifier:
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| Comments/Corrections | |
Comment In:
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Aust Health Rev. 2009 May;33(2):241-4
[PMID:
19563312
]
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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