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The crisis as catalyst for reframing health care policies in the European Union†

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 July 2014

Jan-Kees Helderman
Jan-Kees Helderman*
Affiliation:
Associate Professor at the Institute for Management Research, Department of Public Administration and Political Science, Nijmegen School of Management, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
*
*Correspondence to: Jan-Kees Helderman, Associate Professor, Department of Public Administration and Political Science, Institute for Management Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9108, 6500 HK Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Email: j.helderman@fm.ru.nl
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Abstract

Seen from the perspective of health, the global financial crisis (GFC) may be conceived of as an exogenous factor that has undermined the fiscal sustainability of European welfare states and consequently, their (expanding) health systems as well. Being one of the core programs of European welfare states, health care has always belonged to the sovereignty of European Member States. However, in past two decades, European welfare states have in fact become semi-sovereign states and the European Union (EU) no longer is an exogenous actor in European health policy making. Today, the EU not only puts limits to unsustainable growth levels in health care spending, it also acts as an health policy agenda setter. Since the outbreak of the GFC, it does so in an increasingly coercive and persuasive way, claiming authority over health system reforms alongside the responsibilities of its Member States.

Type
Overview
Information
Health Economics, Policy and Law , Volume 10 , Special Issue 1: SPECIAL ISSUE: Global Financial Crisis, Health and Health Care , January 2015 , pp. 45 - 59
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2014 

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Footnotes

†

Paper prepared for the special issue of Health Economics, Policy and Law on the impact of the macroeconomic crisis on health care.

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