Description Des Paniers De Soines De Neuf Pays De L'Union Européenne

Abstract

In this paper we provide an overview of the health baskets and benefit catalogues in nine EU member states (Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and England). The health basket can be considered as rather comprehensive in all studied countries. However, the degree of explicitness of the benefit catalogues varies among countries and within the same country among health care sectors. A number of different catalogues and substitutes are in place, such as remuneration schemes, guidelines or contracts. At the moment an EU-wide harmonisation of benefit baskets does not seem realistic in the short or the medium term. However, the need of a minimum European common core health basket should be openly debated and a common taxonomy to describe the existing differences is urgently needed.