Economic and Welfare Effects of the Abolition of Health User Fees: Evidence from Uganda

29 Pages Posted: 20 Apr 2016

See all articles by Klaus Deininger

Klaus Deininger

World Bank - Development Economics Group (DEC); World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG)

Paul Mpuga

Makerere University

Date Written: April 21, 2004

Abstract

Deininger and Mpuga use household level data for Uganda for 1999-2000 and 2002-03, before and after the abolition of user fees for public health services, to explore the effect of this policy on different groups' ability to access health services and morbidity outcomes. They find that the policy change improved access and reduced the probability of sickness in a way that was particularly beneficial to the poor. Although the challenge of maintaining service quality remains, aggregate benefits are estimated to be significantly larger than the estimated shortfalls from the abolition of user fees.

This paper - a product of Rural Development, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to assess the impact of public services provision on household welfare.

Keywords: User fees, health outcomes, health care services, public and private health care centres

Suggested Citation

Deininger, Klaus and Mpuga, Paul, Economic and Welfare Effects of the Abolition of Health User Fees: Evidence from Uganda (April 21, 2004). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=610321

Klaus Deininger (Contact Author)

World Bank - Development Economics Group (DEC) ( email )

1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20433
United States

HOME PAGE: http://econ.worldbank.org/staff/kdeininger

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG)

1818 H. Street, N.W.
MSN3-311
Washington, DC 20433
United States

Paul Mpuga

Makerere University

Kampala
Uganda

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