Cash benefits in long-term home care. 2008

Bernard van den Berg, and Wolter H J Hassink
Department of Health Economics & Health Technology Assessment, Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. bernard.van.den.berg@falw.vu.nl

This paper tests empirically for differences in prices paid between parts of the cash benefit that clients may and not may keep when it is unspent. In The Netherlands, demand-side subsidies were introduced in 1996. Clients receive a cash benefit to purchase the type of home care (housework, personal care, support with mobility, organisational tasks or social support) they need from the care supplier of their choice (private care provider, regular care agency, commercial care agency or paid informal care provider). Furthermore, they negotiate with the care supplier about price and quantity. Our main findings are the following: (1) the component of the cash benefit that a client may not keep when it is unspent has a positive impact on the price of care. (2) In contrast, the components of the cash benefit a client may keep when it is unspent, have no or a negative impact on the price of care. Both results have important implications for designing health policy. If cash benefits are introduced in long-term home care in an attempt to make consumers more conscious about prices, it is only successful when consumers may keep the unspent part of the cash benefit.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008134 Long-Term Care Care over an extended period, usually for a chronic condition or disability, requiring periodic, intermittent, or continuous care. Care, Long-Term,Long Term Care
D009313 National Health Programs Components of a national health care system which administer specific services, e.g., national health insurance. National Health Insurance, Non-U.S.,Health Services, National,National Health Insurance,National Health Insurance, Non U.S.,National Health Services,Services, National Health,Health Insurance, National,Health Program, National,Health Programs, National,Health Service, National,Insurance, National Health,National Health Program,National Health Service,Program, National Health,Programs, National Health,Service, National Health
D009426 Netherlands Country located in EUROPE. It is bordered by the NORTH SEA, BELGIUM, and GERMANY. Constituent areas are Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten, formerly included in the NETHERLANDS ANTILLES. Holland,Kingdom of the Netherlands
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D003256 Community Participation Involvement of members of the community in the affairs of that community. Community Action,Consumer Involvement,Consumer Participation,Community Involvement,Public Participation,Action, Community,Actions, Community,Community Actions,Community Involvements,Consumer Involvements,Involvement, Community,Involvement, Consumer,Involvements, Community,Participation, Community,Participation, Consumer,Participation, Public
D003362 Cost-Benefit Analysis A method of comparing the cost of a program with its expected benefits in dollars (or other currency). The benefit-to-cost ratio is a measure of total return expected per unit of money spent. This analysis generally excludes consideration of factors that are not measured ultimately in economic terms. In contrast a cost effectiveness in general compares cost with qualitative outcomes. Cost and Benefit,Cost-Benefit Data,Benefits and Costs,Cost Benefit,Cost Benefit Analysis,Cost-Utility Analysis,Costs and Benefits,Economic Evaluation,Marginal Analysis,Analyses, Cost Benefit,Analysis, Cost Benefit,Analysis, Cost-Benefit,Analysis, Cost-Utility,Analysis, Marginal,Benefit and Cost,Cost Benefit Analyses,Cost Benefit Data,Cost Utility Analysis,Cost-Benefit Analyses,Cost-Utility Analyses,Data, Cost-Benefit,Economic Evaluations,Evaluation, Economic,Marginal Analyses
D006699 Home Care Services Community health and NURSING SERVICES providing coordinated multiple services to the patient at the patient's homes. These home-care services are provided by a visiting nurse, home health agencies, HOSPITALS, or organized community groups using professional staff for care delivery. It differs from HOME NURSING which is provided by non-professionals. Domiciliary Care,Home Health Care,Care Services, Home,Home Care,Services, Home Care,Care, Domiciliary,Care, Home,Home Care Service,Service, Home Care
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

Related Publications

Bernard van den Berg, and Wolter H J Hassink
January 2001, Health affairs (Project Hope),
Bernard van den Berg, and Wolter H J Hassink
April 2010, Zeitschrift fur Gerontologie und Geriatrie,
Bernard van den Berg, and Wolter H J Hassink
January 2003, Care management journals : Journal of case management ; The journal of long term home health care,
Bernard van den Berg, and Wolter H J Hassink
January 1986, Long-term care quarterly,
Bernard van den Berg, and Wolter H J Hassink
December 1997, Home care provider,
Bernard van den Berg, and Wolter H J Hassink
September 1982, Social security bulletin,
Bernard van den Berg, and Wolter H J Hassink
November 1979, Social security bulletin,
Bernard van den Berg, and Wolter H J Hassink
May 1977, Social security bulletin,
Bernard van den Berg, and Wolter H J Hassink
November 1989, NLN publications,
Bernard van den Berg, and Wolter H J Hassink
March 1989, Nursing & health care : official publication of the National League for Nursing,
Copied contents to your clipboard!