[Financing of integrated health service networks].

The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean need to increase their public resources in health to expand equitable and efficient access to health. The increase should finance a specific model with proven effectiveness, such as integrated health service networks (IHSN) based on primary health care. The global literature has not paid sufficient attention to financing IHSN; rather, it has focused on isolated facilities and agents, as well as on specific mechanisms.

Fiscal space for Health in the Americas: is economic growth sufficient?

Objective: In 2014, the member countries of the Pan American Health Organization signed the Strategy for Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage. In it, they committed to increasing public expenditure on health until reaching the benchmark of 6% of gross domestic product (GDP). The objective of this paper is to determine, for each country in the Region, whether they can reach this target through economic growth alone and, if so, how long it would take.

[Fiscal space for sustainable financing of health systems and universal healthEspaço fiscal para o financiamento sustentável dos sistemas de saúde e saúde universal].

The articles published in this series show that it is possible to create fiscal space for health in the countries. This requires specific decisions since economic growth is not enough to generate the additional resources needed. The studies analyze the benefit of reviewing the tax expenditures to identify exemptions - generally outdated and of low benefit for the countries -; arguments to increase taxes on products harmful to health; and credits and donations, which do not result in a viable source of income for governments.

[Fiscal space for Health in the Americas: is economic growth sufficient?Espaço fiscal para saúde nas Américas: o crescimento econômico é suficiente?].

Objective: In 2014, the Pan American Health Organization member countries signed the Strategy for Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage. In it, they committed to increasing public health expenditure until reaching the benchmark of 6% of gross domestic product (GDP). The objective of this paper is to determine, for each country in the Region, if they can reach this goal by economic growth alone and, if so, how long it would take.

[Fiscal space for health in HondurasEspaço fiscal para saúde em Honduras].

Objective: To analyze sources of fiscal space for the health sector in Honduras, in the context of sectoral reform, with a commitment to achieving the target of public expenditure on health equivalent to 6% of gross domestic product (GDP).

Methods: An analysis of baseline conditions and sources of fiscal space was conducted on the basis of a literature review and secondary data. The size of each source was estimated from official data, international statistics, and previous studies.

[Evaluation of fiscal space for health in BoliviaAvaliação do espaço fiscal para a saúde na Bolívia].

Objective: To assess from a technical and political point of view the capacity of Bolivia to generate fiscal space for health that allows it to sustain progress and fulfill the commitment of a public health expenditure of 6% of gross domestic product.

Methods: A review of the international evidence on fiscal space and its measurements was conducted. The technical analysis was developed through statistics and official reports from multiple national and international secondary sources.

Out-of-pocket expenditure and financial protection in the Chilean health care system-A systematic review.

Background: Protection against financial risk due to medical spending is an explicit health guarantee within Chile's AUGE health reform. This paper seeks to analyze the degree to which out-of-pocket expenditure still expose Chilean households to financial catastrophe and impoverishment, and to explore inequalities in financial protection.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted to identify empirical studies analyzing financial protection in Chile.

[An assessment of fiscal space for public health in Peru].

Objective To assess the fiscal space for public health in Peru so as to attain the goal of raising health spending to 6% of gross domestic product, as agreed upon by member countries of the Pan American Health Organization in 2014. Methods The main sources of fiscal space were identified by means of a thorough literature review. Technical feasibility was determined from statistics and national and international surveys and by reviewing various documents and official reports.

New Long-Term Care Policies in Latin America: The National System of Care in Uruguay.

Background: Uruguay is the Latin American country with the largest share of elderly population and it has the greatest pressure for formal long-term care services in the region. For this reason, last year the government approved a law creating a National System of Care.

Objective: This article describes and analyzes the long-term care policy in the recently created National System of Care of Uruguay.

Building Long-Term Care Policies in Latin America: New Programs in Chile.

Background: Little is known about long-term care policies in developing regions. Latin America is one of those regions. In less than 20 years, it will surpass Europe's elderly population.

Mortality outcomes in hospitals with public, private not-for-profit and private for-profit ownership in Chile 2001-2010.

Unlabelled: Public, private not-for-profit (PNFP) and private for-profit (PFP) hospitals may have different behaviour and performance in different indicators such as health outcomes, cost-efficiency and quality. Chile has a mixed healthcare system both in financing and service delivery. The public National Health Fund (Fondo Nacional de Salud) covers 76% of the population-poorer and with higher health risks-whereas private health insurers cover 16% of the population-richer and with lower health risks.

[Cost of a health care system for dependent older adults in Chile, 2012-2020].

Objective: To estimate the relative and absolute costs of a home-based health care system for dependent older adults in Chile and to consider the methodological factors to take into account in estimates for other models in other countries.

Methods: Sex- and age-specific prevalence rates were used, based on microdata from the National Dependency Survey (ENDPM 2009), and three scenarios were projected for 2012 - 2020. The beneficiary population and the demand were estimated for 12 home-based health care programs.

[Out-of-pocket health spending: the case of Chile, 1997 and 2007].

Objective: Determine the impact, characteristics, and changes in out-of-pocket health spending of households in Chile in 1997 and 2007.

Methods: A descriptive econometric study was conducted based on household surveys with cross-sectional information on spending in two years-1997 and 2007-for Greater Santiago. The evolution of indicators of per capita household spending by quintile was reviewed.