Abstract

POZO RUBIO, Raúl del  and  ESCRIBANO SOTOS, Francisco. Economic Impact of Informal Care after the Establishment of the Law of Dependence in Spain. Rev. Esp. Salud Publica [online]. 2012, vol.86, n.4, pp.381-392. ISSN 2173-9110.

Background: The Law of Dependence keeps the informal caregiver´s role, incorporating a specific economic benefit. The aims of this work are 1) to analyze the effect of the Law on informal care existence, and 2) to value the economic impact in the Law, disaggregated by financier. Methods: A cross-section study has been conducted from a representative sample of the dependent population in Cuenca (Spain) in February, 2009. We have obtained information for people with level II and III of dependence. A care service delivery simulation is used to quantify the economic impact of informal care to Cuenca (sample), Castilla-La Mancha and Spain. Results: Informal care delivery is assigned in 81,74% of dependency benefits. Total costs of care service delivery is reduced between 36,51% and 80,53% if informal care exits, disaggregated into savings of 122,97-251,04% for user and 23,30-54,47% for public administration. Average estimated copayment for user is 13,25% for real sample, and it rises to 25,77% when it is supposed informal care extinguishes. Conclusions: Informal care is widespread in the Law, and it implies an important household and public resources saving: for household due to the assumption a smaller copayment that theoretical established, which is assumed by Autonomous Communities; in turn, for public administration, because of the fact economic deliveries require fewer resources.

Keywords : Social support; Health care costs; Long term care; Health economics; Spain.

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