TY - BOOK ID - 84542208 TI - Social Sector Reform in Transition Countries AU - Keller, Christian. AU - Heller, Peter. PY - 2001 SN - 1462307671 1452718008 1281376361 9786613779564 1451892853 PB - Washington, D.C. : International Monetary Fund, DB - UniCat KW - Public Finance KW - Health Policy KW - National Government Expenditures and Health KW - National Government Expenditures and Education KW - National Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs KW - Social Security and Public Pensions KW - Comparative Studies of Countries KW - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions: Public Economics KW - Education: General KW - Analysis of Health Care Markets KW - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies: General KW - Public finance & taxation KW - Education KW - Health systems & services KW - Pensions KW - Health care KW - Expenditure KW - Health care spending KW - Pension spending KW - Social assistance spending KW - Health KW - Expenditures, Public KW - Medical care KW - Poland, Republic of UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:84542208 AB - During the transition process, many existing social sector institutions and policies were significantly eroded and their underlying character changed. As a result, they often do not redistribute to the poorest, nor generally serve the role of facilitating economic change. Social sector reforms have therefore become necessary for reasons of social welfare as well as economic growth. The analysis of eleven transition countries—comprising some of the most advanced as well as some of the poorest transition economies—shows that almost all countries have started to undertake reforms; however, their individual efforts vary. Reform does not only stand for cutting back, but also requires in some cases a building up and in others a redesign of social safety nets; it needs to address insurance issues, budgetary transfer programs, the performance of the health and education sector, as well as the labor market regime and the approach to tax administration. ER -