Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
Summer 6-3-2025
Keywords
COVID-19, institutional change, healthcare governance, decision space, accountability, political authority, decentralization, public health financing, responsibility, path dependence, critical juncture
Abstract
This paper investigates how pre-pandemic levels of government responsibility for public health financing influenced post-pandemic health spending across selected OECD countries. Using a combination of descriptive analysis and regression modeling, the study examines changes in public health expenditure per capita between 2019 and 2022, focusing on key variables such as the government’s share of health financing, the Total Pandemic Policy Intensity (PPI) index, and GDP per capita. Findings suggest that while all countries increased health spending post-COVID-19, the scale of change varied significantly based on economic capacity, institutional readiness, and political will. Notably, countries with higher pre-pandemic public health investment and more intense pandemic responses tended to demonstrate stronger budgetary increases, though exceptions reveal the influence of additional contextual factors. The study highlights persistent disparities between high- and low-income nations, emphasizing that fiscal space alone is insufficient without robust governance and sustained public commitment. These results underscore the need for adaptive, transparent, and equitable health financing strategies to build resilient health systems capable of withstanding future crises.
Recommended Citation
Granados, Denis; Roman, Rylee; and Sidman, Hallie, "THE EFFECT OF EX-ANTE GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY FOR HEALTH ON PUBLIC HEALTH FINANCING IN POST PANDEMIC BUDGETS" (2025). Working Papers Series. 18.
https://orb.binghamton.edu/working_paper_series/18
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
