title: Healthcare reforms and cost reduction strategies in Europe: the cases of Germany, UK, Switzerland, Italy and France.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper aims to analyse health reforms carried out in a sample of European countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a country-specific approach, outstanding health reform features such as: greater competition between sickness funds in Germany; fund-holding practices in the UK; managed care models in Switzerland; health networks in France; and healthcare system decentralisation in Italy are analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There have been different approaches to controlling healthcare costs. Some states relied on public sector competition by creating quasi-markets (UK), insurance sector competition, particularly in Switzerland and Germany, organisational reforms in France by creating health networks and decentralisation in Italy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Societal and legal aspects are not discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The paper compares healthcare reform effectiveness in a number of western European countries.
authors.affiliation: School of Business and Management, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. dsimonet@aus.edu
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simonet
mesh_terms: D017046:Cost Savings / Q000379:methods*; D005060:Europe; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000458:organization & administration; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000458:organization & administration; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011057:Politics; D017149:Private Sector / Q000458:organization & administration; D017150:Public Sector / Q000458:organization & administration