Health management contracts in Costa Rica from a comparative perspective

This article analyses the recent establishment of quasi-markets in the field of public health in Costa Rica through the internal separation within the Costa Rican Social Security Fund of the functions of revenue collection, financing, purchasing and provision of services; the application of a new financing model; and the introduction of management contracts with hospitals and health areas as a key instrument for allocating and transferring resources in accordance with performance and fulfillment of goals.