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Informal payments for health care services in Russia: old issue in new realities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2013

Vladimir S. Gordeev ,
Milena Pavlova  and
Wim Groot
Vladimir S. Gordeev*
Affiliation:
Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Center, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Milena Pavlova
Affiliation:
Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Center, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Wim Groot
Affiliation:
Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Center, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
*
*Correspondence to: Vladimir S. Gordeev, Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Center, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. Email: v.gordeev@maastrichtuniversity.nl
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Abstract

Informal payments can be found across Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. Despite its hidden nature, they pose an important policy issue. Reported as being widespread, the true scale and scope of informal payment are unknown, and estimations differ among studies. We look at the Russian health care sector where the existence of informal payments has persisted for decades. We present the scale and scope of informal payments, as well as patterns of informal payments and their determinants. We discuss the reasons for discrepancies in estimations and implications for the ongoing reforms.

Type
Articles
Information
Health Economics, Policy and Law , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , January 2014 , pp. 25 - 48
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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