Health Care spending in Philippines and US

Health care spending in Philippines

Like any third world country, the Philippines have been fighting some health issues and illegal drugs top the list. Healthcare spending is an important issue in Philippines and is of great interest for the researchers. Many Filipinos are addicted to prohibited drugs. However, the Philippine government has addressed this issue and, although there are some reports of abuse, the number of drug addicts in Peru has declined gradually (Newhouse, 11).

Philippine health spending is at a low level, and private spending exceeds spending on health by the state. However, the Philippine government is trying to promote access of the poorest segments of the population to health care, while government spending is constrained by the fiscal deficit. As a result, belonging to poor families in PhilHealth (the national social security) has been provided by a system of patronage, and PhilHealth now claims universal coverage, although many poor families are left without PhilHealth cards.

The outside pocket spending in total spending, an important indicator of the unequal distribution of health spending declined steadily since 1996, reaching 41% in 2000, but rebounded to 48% in 2002 undoubtedly reflecting budgetary constraints increases in government spending. Spending by central and local governments accounted for 41% of total health expenditure in 2000 compared to 35.2% in 1992, but dropped to 30% in 2002, while social security schemes of 9% of expenditure in 2002, compared to 7.1% in 2000 and 3.8% as recently as 1998 (Glied, 33).

Despite government attempts to increase health spending will be constrained by attempts to reduce the fiscal deficit is likely that the healthcare they represent a gradually increasing expenditure during the forecast period. The Economist Intelligence Unit therefore expects the health care market to offer greater potential in the forecast period in recent years.

The Philippines is dependent on imports of pharmaceutical products local production of pharmaceuticals is limited, so that the Philippines is heavily dependent on imports for the supply of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, and foreign companies control almost 75% of the market. Drug prices are high compared with other countries, particularly those in the region of Asia. However, the expansion of PhilHealth coverage will improve access to essential medicines. The pharmaceutical market has grown rapidly in recent years, but per capita consumption remains low.

As the government has pledged to increase the accessibility of health care and improved delivery of health services, we expect to continue expanding pharmaceutical market.

The Philippines is a key provider of health care workers and medical personnel worldwide. A large proportion of Filipino workers are doctors and nurses, and remittances to the Philippines play an important role in boosting economic growth in the country. During the talks with Japan on a bilateral free trade agreement, the Philippines have pressed Japan to open its sector of the health of Filipino workers. In October 2004 the two countries appeared to reach an agreement that will allow doctors and nurses from the Philippines to work in Japan, but the upper limit on ...