Smoking is a worldwide epidemic and increased prices are one of the most cost-effective measures to reduce tobacco consumption. This article aims to estimate the price and income elasticity of cigarettes for different population groups in Ecuador. The National Survey of Urban and Rural Household Income and Expenditures (ENIGHUR) 2011-2012 was used, which has information on household cigarette consumption and its sociodemographic characteristics. Deaton's Almost Ideal Demand System, which decouples the effect of quality on the price of the good, was applied. The elasticities were calculated for several groups: urban/rural, income levels (tertiles), education level, sex and age ranges of the household head, and frequency of cigarette purchases in households. The estimated price elasticity nationwide is -0.89 and the income elasticity is 0.41, both statistically significant. Households headed by women (-2.22) are more sensitive to an increase in cigarette prices than those headed by men (-0.65) and households headed by people between 20 and 40 years of age (-2.32) have a higher price elasticity compared to country-level estimations. Differences within other groups are not statistically significant.
Taxes , Tobacco Products , Male , Humans , Female , Ecuador/epidemiology , Commerce , Socioeconomic Factors , Elasticity
OBJECTIVE: Analyze the proposal by the Ministry of Public Health to reform the public financing model in Ecuador with regard to pooling of funds and payment mechanisms. METHOD: A literature review was done of the financing model, the current legal framework, and the budgetary bases in Pubmed, SciELO, LILACS Ecuador, and regional LILACS using the key words health financing, health financing systems, capitation, pooling of funds, health system reform Ecuador, health system Ecuador, and health payment mechanisms. Books and other documents suggested by health systems experts were also included. RESULTS: Review of the financing model enabled identifying the historical segmentation of Ecuador's health system; out of this, the Ministry of Public Health conceived its proposal to reform the financing model. The Ministry's proposed solutions are pooling of funds and payment of services at the first level of care through payment per capita adjusted for socioeconomic and demographic risks. Progress made in reforming the financing model includes design of the proposals and their implementation mechanisms, and discussions with stakeholders. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of these changes may produce improvements for the health system in efficiency, spreading of risks, incentives for meeting health objectives, as well as contribute to its sustainability and advance toward universal health coverage. Nevertheless, legal, political, and operational constraints are hampering their implementation.
Financing, Government , Healthcare Financing , Ecuador , Health Care Reform
Objetivo. El objetivo de este artículo es analizar la propuesta planteada por el Ministerio de Salud Pública para la reforma del modelo de financiamiento público en Ecuador referente a mancomunación de fondos y mecanismos de pago. Método. Se realizó una revisión documental sobre el modelo de financiamiento, el marco legal vigente y las bases presupuestarias por medio de Pubmed, Scielo, LILACS Ecuador y LILACS regional utilizando como palabras clave financiamiento de la salud, sistemas de financiamiento en salud, capitación, mancomunación de fondos, reforma de salud Ecuador, sistema de salud Ecuador y mecanismos de pago en salud. Se incluyeron, además, libros y otros documentos referidos por expertos en sistemas de salud. Resultados. La revisión del modelo de financiamiento permitió identificar la segmentación histórica del sistema de salud ecuatoriano, a partir de la cual nace la propuesta del Ministerio de Salud Pública para reformar el modelo de financiamiento. El Ministerio ha planteado como soluciones la mancomunación de fondos y el pago de servicios en el primer nivel de atención mediante una cápita ajustada por riesgos socioeconómicos y demográficos. Los avances en la reforma del modelo de financiamiento incluyen el diseño de los planteamientos, sus mecanismos de implementación y el debate con los actores. Conclusiones. La implementación de estas modificaciones puede generar mejoras para el sistema de salud en la eficiencia, dispersión de riesgos, incentivos para el cumplimiento de objetivos sanitarios, así como contribuir a su sostenibilidad y avanzar hacia la cobertura universal de salud. No obstante, existen limitaciones legales, políticas y operativas que dificultan su implantación.
Objective. Analyze the proposal by the Ministry of Public Health to reform the public financing model in Ecuador with regard to pooling of funds and payment mechanisms. Method. A literature review was done of the financing model, the current legal framework, and the budgetary bases in Pubmed, SciELO, LILACS Ecuador, and regional LILACS using the key words health financing, health financing systems, capitation, pooling of funds, health system reform Ecuador, health system Ecuador, and health payment mechanisms. Books and other documents suggested by health systems experts were also included. Results. Review of the financing model enabled identifying the historical segmentation of Ecuador’s health system; out of this, the Ministry of Public Health conceived its proposal to reform the financing model. The Ministry’s proposed solutions are pooling of funds and payment of services at the first level of care through payment per capita adjusted for socioeconomic and demographic risks. Progress made in reforming the financing model includes design of the proposals and their implementation mechanisms, and discussions with stakeholders. Conclusions. Implementation of these changes may produce improvements for the health system in efficiency, spreading of risks, incentives for meeting health objectives, as well as contribute to its sustainability and advance toward universal health coverage. Nevertheless, legal, political, and operational constraints are hampering their implementation.
Health Services Coverage , Ecuador , Health Care Reform , Financing, Government , Financing, Government , Capitation Fee , Health Care Reform , Health Services Coverage
