Description

Most of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries will face an ageing process of their populations over the next four decades. However, these processes differ considerably among the different countries. This book analyzes how the demographic changes affect the social health insurance systems and their finances in six selected OECD countries - namely Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, the UK, and the US - over the long run, using the method of generational accounting. A focus is also set on the fiscal consequences of the medical/technical progress. It can be stated that all analyzed programs will have discrepancies between their expected revenues and transfer payments. The demographic component is only the minor part given that the medical/technical progress will occur in the future like it did over the last three decades. However, the growth rate due, to the medical/technical progress, also differs significantly between the analyzed countries. The book concludes that all systems will have to face rigorous reforms.