Table 1.

Summary of outpatient prescription drug coverage in study countries, 2016

Country	Outpatient prescription drug coverage	Dominant source of pharmaceutical financing (%)	Standard patient charges for reimbursable prescriptions	Change in subsidy at age 65+
Australia	Universal	Public (49%)	£21.91 (AU$38.30)	Yes—lower copayment of £3.55 (AU$6.20)
Canada	Non-universal	Mixed financing*	Varies by drug plan	Eligible for public drug coverage in several provinces
France	Universal	Social insurance (70%)	35–70% coinsurance	Indirect—coinsurance waved for chronic illness
Germany	Universal	Social insurance (79%)	£4.19–8.38 (€5–10) copayment	Yes—copayment exemptions
Netherlands	Universal	Social insurance (80%)	None	No
New Zealand	Universal	Public (63%)	£2.76 (NZ$5)	Indirect—no copayments once household exceeds 20 prescriptions in year
Norway	Universal	Public (57%)	38% coinsurance	Indirect—annual patient contribution capped at £216 (kr2185)
Sweden	Universal	Public (52%)	£96.67 (kr1100) annual deductible and 10–50% coinsurance	Indirect—annual patient contribution capped at £193.34 (kr2200)
Switzerland	Universal	Social insurance (65%)	Annual deductible (chosen by patient with insurance plan) and 10% coinsurance	No
UK	Universal	Public (66%)	None in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; £8.20 copayment in England	Yes—copayment exemption in England
USA	Non-universal	Private (36%)	Varies by drug plan	Yes—eligible for Medicare drug benefit

*Public payment, private insurance and out-of-pocket charges finance approximately equal shares of total pharmaceutical spending outside hospitals (30–34% each).

Sources: OECD Health Database and authors’ review of coverage system information provided by managers of public and statutory health systems in each country, June–August 2016.