International Journal of Health Policy and Management

International Journal of Health Policy and Management

Priority Setting for Universal Health Coverage: We Need to Focus Both on Substance and on Process; Comment on “Priority Setting for Universal Health Coverage: We Need Evidence-Informed Deliberative Processes, not Just More Evidence on Cost-Effectiveness”

Document Type : Commentary

Authors
Jeremy A. Lauer 1
Dheepa Rajan 2
Melanie Y. Bertram 1
1 Economic Analysis and Evaluation, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
2 Health Systems Governance, Policy and Aid Effectiveness, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
10.15171/ijhpm.2017.06
Abstract
In an editorial published in this journal, Baltussen et al argue that information on cost-effectiveness is not sufficient for priority setting for universal health coverage (UHC), a claim which is correct as far as it goes. However, their focus on the procedural legitimacy of ‘micro’ priority setting processes (eg, decisions concerning the reimbursement of specific interventions), and their related assumption that values for priority setting are determined only at this level, leads them to ignore the relevance of higher level, ‘macro’ priority setting processes, for example, consultations held by World Health Organization (WHO) Member States and other global stakeholders that have resulted in widespread consensus on the principles of UHC. Priority setting is not merely about discrete choices, nor should the focus be exclusively (or even mainly) on improving the procedural elements of micro priority setting processes. Systemic activities that shape the health system environment, such as strategic planning, as well as the substantive content of global policy instruments, are critical elements for priority setting for UHC.
Keywords
Priority Setting
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
Subjects
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International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Volume 6, Issue 10
2017
Pages 601-603

  • Received Date 07 November 2016
  • Revised Date 14 January 2017
  • Accepted Date 14 January 2017
  • First Published Date 01 October 2017
  • Published Date 01 October 2017