Informal payments for health care services: the case of Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine

摘要: Abstract This paper analyzes patterns of tips, gifts and bribes paid by patients for health care services. Informal payments are more prevalent in developing transition countries because the economic socio-cultural environment is conducive to “gifts”-exchange as a means maintain underfunded system. Moreover, most Eastern European have experienced wider socio-political reforms, which also affected service provision led greater reliance on informal patient access quality assurance study provides evidence public attitudes recent experiences with post-Soviet post-communist countries, namely Lithuania, Ukraine Poland. The empirical results suggest lower share well prevalence negative towards Poland compared Lithuania Ukraine. common expensive in-patient services contrast out-patient ones all countries. Still, co-exist other types such quasi-formal payments. When clear regulation basic package formal charges lacking, experience mixture payment obligations. About three quarters respondents support statement that should be eradicated. It proposed therefore governments meet expectations implement strategy deal In (both “bribes fees”) symptom system failure provide obtain they desire, government not able guarantee. Suitable regulations coupled (dis)incentives may decrease level provision.