[Health and the market].
The main problem facing the health systems in all western countries is the curbing of their rising costs. This fact represents a serious risk for the stability of any health system. Free-trade solutions, founded on market-driven systems, do not seem to be capable of preserving the peculiarity of all the national European health systems, characterized by universalism and public management, together with efficacy and effectiveness. The market spurs the demand but does not reduce the costs. Its main social danger is that it may give rise to a two-level health system: the first, of good quality but more expensive, managed by private companies and possible only for the upper and middle classes; the second, of poor quality but naturally less expensive, managed by the Public Health Service for the lower classes. Solidarity, responsibility, and equity are three civil virtues that must be deeply rooted in all European National Health Services (particularly the Italian National Health Service) so that their historical capacity of guaranteeing a sure and effective protection against disease can be consolidated.
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D003363:Cost Control; D019049:Developed Countries; D005060:Europe; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006291:Health Policy; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors