Registration for public drug benefits across areas of differing ethnic composition in British Columbia, Canada.

Background: In 2003, the government of British Columbia, Canada introduced a universal drug benefit plan to cover drug costs that are high relative to household income. Residents were required to register in order to be eligible for the income-based benefits. Given past research suggesting that registration processes may pose an access barrier to certain subpopulations, we aimed to determine whether registration rates varied across small geographic areas that differed in ethnic composition.

Costs and determinants of privately financed home-based health care in Ontario, Canada.

The Canadian context in which home-based healthcare services are delivered is characterised by limited resources and escalating healthcare costs. As a result, a financing shift has occurred, whereby care recipients receive a mixture of publicly and privately financed home-based services. Although ensuring that care recipients receive efficient and equitable care is crucial, a limited understanding of the economic outcomes and determinants of privately financed services exists.

The Magnitude, Share and Determinants of Private Costs Incurred by Clients (and Their Caregivers) of In-home Publicly Financed Care.

Home-based health services remain one of the fastest-growing sectors in the Canadian healthcare system. While there have been studies addressing the characteristics of home care users and the determinants of utilization, the costs associated with the use of home care services, particularly private costs, have been largely neglected. To gain a comprehensive appreciation of the financing context in which ambulatory and home-based care is delivered and received, it is imperative to assess costs incurred by clients and their family/friends.