RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Ethics and geographical equity in health care
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 256
OP 261
DO 10.1136/jme.27.4.256
VO 27
IS 4
A1 Nigel Rice
A1 Peter C Smith
YR 2001
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/27/4/256.abstract
AB Important variations in access to health care and health outcomes are associated with geography, giving rise to profound ethical concerns. This paper discusses the consequences of such concerns for the allocation of health care finance to geographical regions. Specifically, it examines the ethical drivers underlying capitation systems, which have become the principal method of allocating health care finance to regions in most countries. Although most capitation systems are based on empirical models of health care expenditure, there is much debate about which needs factors to include in (or exclude from) such models. This concern with legitimate and illegitimate drivers of health care expenditure reflects the ethical concerns underlying the geographical distribution of health care finance.