Estimación del costo global de la atención de salud necesaria para la población de Chile (versión preliminar)

Abstract

The paper introduces a method for estimating the cost of providing health care to the majority of the population of Chile, at: adequate level of coverage, quality and effectiveness. The method is applied here to the health units of the public sector that provide direct services to people, since itis hero that the current crisis of the health system is more acute. The adjusted direct cost por beneficiary of the public sector turns out to be $41.500 pesos(currency of 1992), and the total cost of the health sector, including the adjustmont, would equal $ 53.8tXL It is proposed that such cost are compatible with the economic situation of the country. There are several national studies on financing of health care; but in the absence of definitions about “what care” should be provided and “how much” it costs, their usefulness is doubtes ful.