Share

Health policies and data

book

OECD Reviews of Health Systems: Mexico 2016

Ten years after the introduction of publically-funded universal health insurance, the Mexican health system finds itself at a critical juncture. Unquestionably, some measures of health and health system performance have improved: those previously uninsured now use health services more often, whilst numbers reporting impoverishing health expenditure having fallen from 3.3% to 0.8%. Other indicators, however, remain worrying. Rates of survival after heart attack or stroke are markedly worse than in other OECD countries. Prevention is a particular concern: with 32% of the adult population obese, Mexico ranks as the second most obese nation in the OECD and almost 1 in 6 adults are diabetic. Other key metrics imply deep-rooted inefficiencies in the system: administrative costs, at 8.9% of total health spending, are the highest in the OECD and have not reduced over the past decade. Likewise, out-of-pocket spending has stuck at nearly 50% of total health spending - the highest in the OECD - and implies that individuals feel the need to visit private clinic despite having health insurance. In short, Mexico’s massive public investment in its health system has failed to translate into better health and health system performance to the extent wished and a programme of continued, extensive reform is needed. This report sets out the OECD’s recommendations on the steps Mexico should take to achieve this.

Published on January 06, 2016Also available in: Spanish

In series:OECD Reviews of Health Systemsview more titles

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword and acknowledgements
Acronyms and abbreviations
Executive summary
Assessment and recommendations
Health care needs and organisation of the health system in Mexico
Strengthening governance to build a person-centred, data-driven health system
Service delivery: Defining an equal benefits package and strengthening primary care
Realigning financing to better meet individual health care needs
Smarter purchasing of goods and services
Powered by OECD iLibrary