TY - BOOK ID - 84540423 TI - Health Care and its Financing in Italy : Issues and Reform Options PY - 2000 SN - 1462327664 145272900X 1282110144 1451903340 9786613803030 PB - Washington, D.C. : International Monetary Fund, DB - UniCat KW - Exports and Imports KW - Public Finance KW - Health Policy KW - National Government Expenditures and Health KW - Analysis of Health Care Markets KW - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies: General KW - Health: General KW - International Lending and Debt Problems KW - Public finance & taxation KW - Health systems & services KW - Health economics KW - International economics KW - Health care spending KW - Health care KW - Expenditure KW - Health KW - Arrears KW - External debt KW - Expenditures, Public KW - Medical care KW - Debts, External KW - Italy UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:84540423 AB - In Italy, health care budget ceilings are not effective. The poor control by the central government results in excessive use of expensive inputs, in long waiting lines for medical procedures, and in the emergence of large arrears to suppliers and commercial banks. To fully gain the benefits of its decentralized structure, Italy needs to clarify the rules of the game and strengthen controls on local health authorities. Full fiscal responsibility should be extended to local governments on both the expenditure and revenue sides. The central government should be involved neither in decisions on the services that local governments should supply, nor in their planning and management. ER -