New Economics Papers
on Central and South America
Issue of 2007–03–31
four papers chosen by
Maximo Rossi, Universidad de la RepÃúºblica


  1. FINANCIAL PROTECTION FOR THE POOR IN COLOMBIA: By Ramón Castaño; Andrés Zambrano
  2. Concentración y Competencia en el Sistema Financiero Crediticio Colombiano en la Ültimna Década By Ricardo Bernal Fandiño
  3. SECTOR PÚBLICO Y DÉFICIT FISCAL By Julio César Alonso; Maria Emma Cantera; Beatriz Orozco
  4. Argentina: The Central Bank in the Foreign Exchange Market By Roberto Frenkel

  1. By: Ramón Castaño; Andrés Zambrano
    Abstract: Financial protection is one of the objectives of health systems, which protects poor households from falling into poverty as a result of health care related expenses. Expanding prepayment schemes to the poor is difficult in developing countries because labor is largely informal. Providing health care free-at-point-of-service does not adequately target spending on the poorest, but occupation- or community-based schemes have also inherent limitations to achieve universal coverage. Colombia adopted a government-subsidized health insurance scheme (SHI) strategy. The political debate about increasing SHI enrollment needs evidence about the effectiveness of this scheme regarding financial protection. This study runs a four-part model to estimate the effect of SHI on out-of-pocket expenses by the poor that are currently uninsured, if they were enrolled in the SHI. The results show a 43% and 50% reduction in expenses at Bogotá and national level respectively, which confirms the effectiveness of SHI as a financial protection tool.
    Date: 2007–03–01
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:col:001070:002884
  2. By: Ricardo Bernal Fandiño
    Abstract: Este trabajo estudia la relación entre los aumentos en la concentración y las dinámicas de competencia del sector financiero crediticio de los últimos años en la economía colombiana. Se encuentra que a pesar de los incrementos en la concentración que reflejan diversos indicadores analizados, el nivel de poder de mercado -medido como el estadístico H de Panzar y Rose (1987) por medio de un análisis de panel de datos- no se ha deteriorado en el periodo 1995-2005. Más aún, existen indicios por los cuales este nivel de competencia se ha incrementado en el periodo, una vez se ha controlado por variables específicas a la entidad así como por variables exógenas macroeconómicas.
    Date: 2007–03–15
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:col:001043:002897
  3. By: Julio César Alonso; Maria Emma Cantera; Beatriz Orozco
    Abstract: Este documento tiene como objetivo presentar una introducción a la estructura de las cuentas fiscales colombianas. Para tal fin se presenta una clasificación del Sector Público No Financiero y se describen sus principales cuentas de gastos y de ingresos. Así mismo, para el caso colombiano se presenta una breve descripción de la evolución de estas cuentas y del balance fiscal para las últimas décadas.
    Date: 2006–06–01
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:col:001062:002893
  4. By: Roberto Frenkel
    Abstract: This article, originally published in Spanish in La Nación, December 31, 2006, explains the mechanics of the Argentine Central Bank's intervention in exchange rates markets to target a stable and competitive exchange rate, a macroeconomic policy that has played a significant role in Argentina's economic growth since 2002.
    JEL: E58 E52 E42
    Date: 2007–02
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:epo:papers:2007-3

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