Description

This book describes progressive methods to analyse
socio-economic convergence and then applies them to
EU health care systems. Membership of the EU is
hypothesised to encourage convergence due to factors
such as the free movement of citizens, open markets,
EU legislation, and wealth re-distribution. The
variables analysed are health care expenditure,
life expectancy and infant mortality, health care
resources, and utilisation rates. The results show
that convergence occurred in many variables and
reveal the countries that have contributed most. Of
particular interest is that countries joining the EU
relatively late, such as Spain and Portugal,
exhibited upward convergence while countries such as
Sweden experienced some downward convergence.
Convergence in a control group of non-EU countries
was found to be present, but to a lesser degree.
Influences according to the way health care is
financed and organised, and the factors affecting
health outcomes, are also examined. As socio-
economic convergence may lead to greater stability
and equity in the EU and beyond, this book will be
of interest to policy makers and analysts alike.