Cost-Effective Health Technology at Home as an Avenue for Reducing National Health Expenditures

Extract

As in many industrialized countries, the national health insurance system of Belgium is concerned about endemic financial losses. In response, the government has probably resorted to the final revenue-producing remedy, an increase in social security contributions, and several reductions in reimbursement rates have been instituted. This classic remedy cannot be repeated again, because some professionals either will not survive or will react with a consumption increase. Other ways must be found rapidly to provide enough savings. This is the essential issue that concerns the policy maker in Belgium, and probably in most developed countries as well.