Jack, William2013-12-192013-12-192002World Bank Research Observerhttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/16421This article examines rationales for public intervention in health insurance markets from the perspective of public economics. It draws on the literature of organizational design to examine alternative public intervention strategies, including issues of contracting, purchaser provider splits, and regulation of competition. Health insurance reforms in four Latin American countries are then considered in light of the insights provided by the theoretical literature. This article addresses the role of government in spreading and reducing health risks with particular emphasis on the design and organization of the relevant institutions in Latin America.en-USCC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGOADMINISTRATIVE COSTSADVERSE SELECTIONADVERSE SELECTION PROBLEMSALLOCATIVE EFFICIENCYBARGAININGBORROWINGBUDGET CONSTRAINTSCAPITAL MARKETSCAPITATIONCLINICSCOMMUNITY RATINGCOMPENSATIONCOMPETITION AMONG PROVIDERSCOMPETITIVE INSURANCE MARKETCONSUMER PROTECTIONCONSUMERSCONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTSCONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIPSCOST CONTROLCRISESCROWDINGDEBTDEGREE OF COMPETITIONDELIVERY SYSTEMSDEMAND FOR INSURANCEDEVELOPMENT ECONOMICSDOCTORSECONOMIC ANALYSISECONOMIC REVIEWECONOMIC THEORYEMPLOYMENTEQUILIBRIUMEQUITY HOLDERSEXPENDITURESEXPLICIT CONTRACTSEXTERNALITIESEXTERNALITYFAMILIESFEE-FOR-SERVICEFEE-FOR-SERVICE BASISFINANCIAL INCENTIVESFINANCIAL RISKFINANCIAL SECTORFINANCING OF HEALTH CAREFIXED COSTSFORMAL LABOR MARKETHEALTH AFFAIRSHEALTH CAREHEALTH CARE MARKETSHEALTH CARE NEEDSHEALTH CARE PROVIDERSHEALTH CARE SYSTEMSHEALTH DELIVERYHEALTH DELIVERY SYSTEMHEALTH ECONOMICSHEALTH INSURANCEHEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGEHEALTH INSURANCE MARKETHEALTH INSURANCE MARKETSHEALTH INSURANCE SYSTEMHEALTH INSURERSHEALTH MAINTENANCEHEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONHEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONSHEALTH MINISTRIESHEALTH NEEDSHEALTH ORGANIZATIONHEALTH OUTCOMESHEALTH PLANSHEALTH PROJECTSHEALTH REFORMHEALTH SECTORHEALTH SECTOR REFORMHEALTH SERVICEHEALTH SERVICE DELIVERYHEALTH SERVICESHEALTH SYSTEMHEALTH SYSTEMSHOSPITAL CAREHOSPITALSHUMAN RESOURCESILLNESSIMPERFECT INFORMATIONINCENTIVE SCHEMESINCOME COUNTRIESINCOME GROUPSINCOMPLETE CONTRACTSINCOMPLETE MARKETSINFORMAL SECTORINFORMATION ASYMMETRIESINFORMATION IMPERFECTIONSINNOVATIONINNOVATIONSINSURANCE COMPANIESINSURANCE CONTRACTSINSURANCE COVERAGEINSURANCE OPTIONSINSURANCE PACKAGEINSURANCE PLANSINSURANCE POLICIESINSURANCE PRODUCTSINSURERSINTEGRATIONINTERMEDIARIESINTERVENTIONLABOR UNIONSLOW INCOMEMANAGED CAREMARGINAL VALUEMARKET FAILURESMEDICAL ATTENTIONMEDICAL CAREMEDICAL EXPENSESMEDICAL INSURANCEMEDICAL SERVICESMEDICAREMONOPSONYMONOPSONY POWERMORAL HAZARDMOTIVATIONNATIONAL HEALTHORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTUREPATIENTPATIENTSPHYSICIANPHYSICIANSPOLITICAL ECONOMYPRICE COMPETITIONPRIMARY CAREPRISONSPRIVATE AMBULATORY CAREPRIVATE CONTRACTORSPRIVATE INSURANCEPRIVATE INSURANCE SYSTEMSPRIVATE INSURERSPRIVATE SECTORPRIVATE SECTOR INSURANCEPRIVATE SECTORSPROVIDER PAYMENTPUBLIC HEALTHPUBLIC HEALTH EXPENDITURESPUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCEPUBLIC HEALTH SPENDINGPUBLIC HOSPITALPUBLIC HOSPITAL SYSTEMPUBLIC HOSPITALSPUBLIC INSURANCEPUBLIC INSURANCE SYSTEMPUBLIC PROVIDERSPUBLIC PROVISIONPUBLIC PROVISION OF INSURANCEPUBLIC SECTORPURCHASER-PROVIDER SPLITRENTSRISK SHARINGRURAL HEALTH CARESERVANTSSOCIAL POLICYSOCIAL SECURITYSOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEMSSUPPLIERSUNEMPLOYEDWAGESWORKERSJournal ArticleWorld Bank10.1596/16421