Public health policies and supplemental private insurance in times of population ageing

Population ageing is generating severe problems like pressure on pension systems, growing demand for medical care, and the need to adapt infrastructures and services to an ageing population needs. Italy, as other OECD countries, is strongly affected showing a constant decrease in health care public spending and a simultaneous increase in private medical expenses; hence, the importance of supplemental health care. This paper aims to provide an analysis of the main categories of supplemental health insurance products by verifying their current level of diffusion in Italy, to understand which public policies might be able to stimulate greater demand for them, and to establish the boundaries of possible synergies between public and private sectors, also providing some considerations on how insurance companies could effectively operate in this context. Conclusions can provide useful insights for policymakers engaged in the design and subsequent implementation of social policies to protect collective health and well-being.