Long-term care in Latin America and the Caribbean: theory and policy considerations

Bloeck, Martín Caruso, Ibarrarán, Pablo and Galiani, Sebastian (2019) Long-term care in Latin America and the Caribbean: theory and policy considerations. Economía, 20 (1). 1 - 32. ISSN 1529-7470

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Abstract

This paper discusses theoretical and practical issues related to long-term care (LTC) services in Latin America. Demand for these services will rise as the region undergoes a swift demographic transition from its currently young population to a rapidly aging one, especially since the region’s aging cohorts are more prone to experience a decline in their functional and physical abilities than elderly people elsewhere in the world. We argue that private insurance markets are ill-equipped to provide coverage to meet the need for LTC, while the amount of personal savings required to afford self-insurance would be prohibitively high. In Latin America, LTC may not be an immediate priority, but governments are likely to encourage the development of LTC programs as demand for them steadily grows. In particular, policymakers are probably going to focus initially on LTC programs for the poor and vulnerable, for whom affordability of LTC is a greater problem. We therefore study how basic elements of policy design affect the cost-effectiveness of LTC programs by means of a formal model.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://economia.lse.ac.uk/
Additional Information:	© 2019 LACTEA
Divisions:	LSE
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine H Social Sciences > HG Finance
JEL classification:	J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J14 - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped N - Economic History > N3 - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Income, and Wealth > N36 - Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Income and Wealth: Latin America; Caribbean
Date Deposited:	03 Jul 2024 15:24
Last Modified:	03 Jul 2024 15:24
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/123252

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