OECD Economics Department Working Papers

ISSN :
1815-1973 (online)
DOI :
10.1787/18151973
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Working papers from the Economics Department of the OECD that cover the full range of the Department’s work including the economic situation, policy analysis and projections; fiscal policy, public expenditure and taxation; and structural issues including ageing, growth and productivity, migration, environment, human capital, housing, trade and investment, labour markets, regulatory reform, competition, health, and other issues.
 

Increasing Public Sector Efficiency in Slovakia You or your institution have access to this content

Authors:
Felix Hüfner1
Author Affiliations
  • 1: OECD, France

Publication Date
03 Feb 2011
Bibliographic information
No.:
839
Pages
30
DOI
10.1787/5kgj3l0m0q0r-en

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Given the deterioration in public finances, there is now very little scope for higher spending. Raising public sector efficiency would free up resources and yield better outcomes with the same inputs, helping to stimulate productivity and thus potential growth. Raising efficiency in tax collection (notably VAT) is urgently needed, plans to unify the collection of tax and social security contributions should be implemented swiftly and drawing on EU funds needs to become more efficient. In addition, raising the efficiency in healthcare should be a priority. This involves dealing with the high out-of-pocket payments and reforming the remuneration structure of doctors. Pharmaceutical spending is excessive and can be reduced, notably by further fostering generic substitution. Impediments to competition among health insurance funds should be reconsidered and the risk-equalisation system should be improved. This paper relates to the 2010 OECD Economic Review of the Slovak Republic (www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/slovakia).
Keywords:
Slovakia, health policy, public sector efficiency
JEL Classification:
  • H21: Public Economics / Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue / Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
  • H51: Public Economics / National Government Expenditures and Related Policies / Government Expenditures and Health
  • I11: Health, Education, and Welfare / Health / Analysis of Health Care Markets