Inequity in access to healthcare in Argentina

Abstract

In Argentina, the decentralized and fragmented healthcare system makes it impossible to provide homogeneous and equitable coverage. A coordinated regulatory mechanism (in defining services and controlling providers) and social health insurance would allow families, regardless of their ability to pay, to meet their health needs. With the aim of identifying mechanisms to achieve an equitable and efficient system of resource allocation, this document presents the main findings of the comparative analysis of two editions (2003 and 2005) of the National Survey of Household Utilization and Expenditure, conducted by the National Ministry of Health. Among the main results, a regressive relationship between out-of-pocket health expenditure of families and income levels is observed; it is confirmed that curative care predominates in the poorest strata, reinforcing the need to link income with access capacity for preventive actions; and it is noted that the component of expenditure on medicines has been reduced, probably due to effective provision or subsidy policies. The analysis yields relevant elements for the healthcare policy debate, highlighting the priority of implementing efficient strategies aimed at achieving equity in the system