BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam//NONSGML v1.0//EN NAME:PhD defence L.M. Kok METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20260918T114500 DTEND:20260918T131500 DTSTAMP:20260918T114500 UID:2026/phd-defence-l-m-kok@8F96275E-9F55-4B3F-A143-836282E12573 CREATED:20260815T120115 LOCATION:Hoofdgebouw, Aula De Boelelaan 1105 1081 HV Amsterdam SUMMARY:PhD defence L.M. Kok X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

The effects of financia l incentives in health care and social insurance

Fina ncial Incentives Shape Healthcare Utilization, Benefits, and Labor Fo rce Participation

Care Facilities Are Financiall y More Attractive
One of the most striking conclusions is that, from a societal perspective, living independently at home is o ften less expensive for older adults than staying in a nursing home. Yet many older adults choose a care facility because it is financiall y more attractive. The out-of-pocket cost for nursing home care is of ten lower than the total cost of living at home. Municipalities and h ealth insurers also generally spend less on inpatient care, meaning t hat the financial incentives do not align with what is most efficient for society as a whole.

The study also shows that financial in centives for municipalities can be effective. A 2004 reform, in which large municipalities were given a fixed budget for social assistance expenditures instead of full reimbursement from the national governm ent, led to a clear decline in the number of social assistance recipi ents. On average, the number of people on social assistance fell by 1 4 percent.

2015 Wajong Reform
A far-reachin greform of the Wajong in 2015 also had major consequ ences. From that point on, young people capable of working were no lo nger eligible for the program and instead fell back on social assista nce. As a result, the inflow into the Wajong program fell by approxim ately 40 percentage points. Their average benefit income decreased by more than 10,700 euros per year. Part of this loss of income was off set by the fact that more young people began working and earned more income from employment. Social assistance also offset part of the los s of income.

In addition to these empirical studies, the disser tation also includes a theoretical analysis of the societal value of healthcare. According to Kok, existing cost-benefit analyses do not t ake sufficient account of the impact of health interventions on the t ime people spend on work, leisure, and recovery. By taking these effe cts into account, the societal benefits of healthcare can be determin ed more accurately.

Remuneration of Medical Specialists
Finally, Kok compares the remuneration of medical specia lists in six European countries. After adjusting international income data, it appears that English medical specialists had the highest in come in 2010, followed by Dutch specialists. The number of physicians per capita appears to be the most important factor: in countries wit h relatively few physicians, the incomes of medical specialists are g enerally higher.

According to Kok, the results underscore the i mportance of well-designed financial incentives. Policy can effective ly influence behavior, but when individual interests do not align wit h the public interest, unintended and costly outcomes can arise.

< p>More information about the dissertation will follow

DESCRIPTION:

Financial Incentives Shape Healthcare Utiliza tion, Benefits, and Labor Force Participation

Financial incentives in the Dutch healthcare and social security system have a major impact on the choices people make and on the costs to society. This is evident from economist Lucy Kok’s research on the effects of policy on healthcare, benefits, and employment. Care Facil ities Are Financially More Attractive
One of the most str iking conclusions is that, from a societal perspective, living indepe ndently at home is often less expensive for older adults than staying in a nursing home. Yet many older adults choose a care facility beca use it is financially more attractive. The out-of-pocket cost for nur sing home care is often lower than the total cost of living at home. Municipalities and health insurers also generally spend less on inpat ient care, meaning that the financial incentives do not align with wh at is most efficient for society as a whole. The study also shows tha t financial incentives for municipalities can be effective. A 2004 re form, in which large municipalities were given a fixed budget for soc ial assistance expenditures instead of full reimbursement from the na tional government, led to a clear decline in the number of social ass istance recipients. On average, the number of people on social assist ance fell by 14 percent. 2015 Wajong Reform
A far -reachingreform of the Wajong in 2015 also had major consequences. From that point on, young people capable of working we re no longer eligible for the program and instead fell back on social assistance. As a result, the inflow into the Wajong program fell by approximately 40 percentage points. Their average benefit income decr eased by more than 10,700 euros per year. Part of this loss of income was offset by the fact that more young people began working and earn ed more income from employment. Social assistance also offset part of the loss of income. In addition to these empirical studies, the diss ertation also includes a theoretical analysis of the societal value o f healthcare. According to Kok, existing cost-benefit analyses do not take sufficient account of the impact of health interventions on the time people spend on work, leisure, and recovery. By taking these ef fects into account, the societal benefits of healthcare can be determ ined more accurately. Remuneration of Medical Specialists
Finally, Kok compares the remuneration of medical specialist s in six European countries. After adjusting international income dat a, it appears that English medical specialists had the highest income in 2010, followed by Dutch specialists. The number of physicians per capita appears to be the most important factor: in countries with re latively few physicians, the incomes of medical specialists are gener ally higher. According to Kok, the results underscore the importance of well-designed financial incentives. Policy can effectively influen ce behavior, but when individual interests do not align with the publ ic interest, unintended and costly outcomes can arise. More informati on about the dissertation will follow The effects of financial incent ives in health care and social insurance END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR