Commentary

David Chinitz*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Lessons from the US must be filtered through the Israeli context, and in particular the organizational history and culture as well as the role of consumers and regulators. It is unlikely that Israeli MCOs could reduce costs in the same sweeping way as their US counterparts, and there is no apparent evidence of Israeli MCOs engaging in the type of underservice which is raising alarm in the US. On the other hand, ongoing deficits and difficulty in achieving consensus over the basic basket of services are a source of great concern, and continued uncertainty regarding the future of mental health care persists. An incremental strategy for mental health could involve maintaining the current finance and structure of the mental health services while introducing some competitive mechanisms into the system. Whatever policy is adopted, successful management of the health care system is not limited to technical issues, but requires strong political leadership to nurture the social solidarity underlying the system.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)178-183
Number of pages6
JournalIsrael Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences
Volume35
Issue number3
StatePublished - 1998

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