Contents -- Foreword -- Acknowledgements -- About the Authors -- Introduction Kieke G. H. Okma and Luca Crivelli -- Analytical Frameworks -- Main Findings -- References -- 1. Israel: Partial Health Care Reform as Laboratory of Ongoing Change David Chinitz and Rachel Meislin -- Historical Background -- Forces Leading to Reform -- Funding and Providing Health Care in Israel -- Results, Failures, and Continuing Evolution of the Health Insurance Reform of 1995 -- Determining the Health Care Entitlements of Israel's Social Insurance -- Patients' Rights -- Financing -- Access and Equity -- Theoretical Implications of the Israeli Case: The Role of the State and the Dominant Cultural Orientation -- References -- 2. Change and Continuity in Dutch Health Care: Origins and Consequences of the 2006 Health Insurance Reforms Kieke G. H. Okma and Hans Maarse -- Introduction -- Public and Private Health Insurance in The Netherlands in the 20th Century -- Origins of the Dutch Health Care Reforms: Internal and External Pressure for Change -- Health Insurance in The Netherlands, 2008 -- Changes in Governance of Dutch Health Care -- Changing Stakeholder Positions in Dutch Health Policy -- Uninsured in The Netherlands -- Changing Attitudes of Health Care Managers -- New Roles for Patients and Consumers in Dutch Health Care -- Conclusions and the Outlook for the Dutch Health Care System -- References -- 3. Reform and Re-reform of the New Zealand System Toni Ashton and Tim Tenbensel -- Introduction -- The New Zealand Health System -- Successive Health Reform Waves in New Zealand -- Political and Economic Context -- 1980s -- Early 1990s: The Big Bang -- Late 1990s: Some Modifications -- 2000s: Back to the Future? -- Summary of the Reform Period -- Drivers of Change -- Role of the State -- The Medical Profession -- Cultural Values -- Summary -- Effects of the Reforms.

Funding -- Competition and Choice -- Governance and Voice -- Conclusion -- References -- 4. Health Care Reforms in Singapore Meng-Kin Lim -- Introduction -- Health Care Financing -- Medisave -- Medishield -- Medifund -- Mixed, Multi-Layered Funding System -- Eldercare Fund and Eldershield -- Affirmative Action -- Targeting of Subsidies -- Means Testing to Better Target Subsidies -- Health Care Provision -- Primary Care -- Traditional Medicine -- Secondary and Tertiary Care -- Commercialization of Health Care -- Hospital Restructuring -- Clustering -- The Forces Fueling Change -- Search for Value and Efficiency through Competition -- Quality and Patient Safety -- Changing Medical Practice: Disease Management Paradigm -- Conclusion -- References -- 5. Consumer-Driven Versus Regulated Health Insurance in Switzerland Luca Crivelli and Iva Bolgiani -- Introduction -- The Governance of the Swiss Health System: Playing the Threefold Role of Citizen, Insured, and Patient by Using the Exit or Voice Option -- Voice in a Small Federal State with a Strong Tradition of Direct Democracy -- Exit in a Mandatory Health Insurance System with Regulated Benefit Basket and Community-Rated Premiums -- Exit in the Swiss "Supermarket" of Medical Services -- The Increasing Burden of Health Insurance Premiums as the Central Issue in Switzerland -- Evaluation of the Resort to Exit -- Evaluation of the Resort to Voice -- The Path of Health Insurance Changes: Reform or Revolution? -- Reforms Under the Banner of Continuity: The Swiss Government's Proposals -- Revolutions: The Proposals of a Part of Swiss Civil Society -- References -- 6. Taiwan's National Health Insurance System: High Value for the Dollar Tsung-Mei Cheng -- Introduction -- A Brief History of Health Insurance in Taiwan -- Administration of the NHI -- Financing of the NHI -- Cost Sharing by Patients.

Health Care Delivery in Taiwan -- Choice of Providers -- Contracting with and Paying the Providers of Care -- Cost Containment Through Global Budgets -- The NHI's Health Information System -- The Role of the State and Organized Stakeholders in Taiwan's Health Policy -- Recent Reforms, Options Considered, and Outcomes of Recent Reforms -- Conclusion -- References -- Conclusions: Debates, Reforms, and Policy Adjustments Kieke G. H. Okma and Luca Crivelli -- Appendix A -- Index.