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Ageing and healthcare costs in Australia: a case of policy‐based evidence?
Author(s) -
Coory Michael D
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb06096.x
Subject(s) - pessimism , population ageing , public economics , health care , population , economics , ageing , private sector , public expenditure , health policy , active ageing , development economics , ageing society , demographic economics , business , economic growth , older people , medicine , gerontology , public finance , environmental health , macroeconomics , philosophy , epistemology
Abstract There have been dire predictions that population ageing will result in skyrocketing health costs. However, numerous studies have shown that the effect of population ageing on health expenditure is likely to be small and manageable. Pessimism about population ageing is popular in policy debates because it fits with ideological positions that favour growth in the private sector and seek to contain health expenditure in the public sector. It might also distract attention from the need to evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of current patterns of care. Pessimistic scenarios have stifled debate and limited the number of policy options considered. Policy making in Australia would be improved if we took a more realistic view of the effect of population ageing on health expenditure.