FRONTIERS PROJECT
Impact of Varying Frequency and Magnitude of Price Increases for Clinical Reproductive Health Services

Using willingness-to-pay surveys, researchers from FRONTIERS and the Medical Center for Counseling and Family Planning (CEMOPLAF) attempted to ascertain how clients for clinical reproductive health services would react to increased prices for services. By asking clients about three hypothetical pricing strategies for clinical reproductive health services, researchers were able to forecast client demand for services as a function of the price of services. Results showed that in high-inflation settings, programs that adjust fees infrequently must implement large price increases just to keep pace with inflation. A series of political and economic shocks forced CEMOPLAF to abandon the experimental price scheme. Monthly price increases pose logistical problems such as lack of small coins for change and complaints from clients about the frequency of increases.

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Location

Ecuador

Duration

May 1999–March 2003

Population Council researcher

James Foreit

Non-Council collaborators

John Bratt (FRONTIERS/Family Health International)

Center for Counseling and Family Planning  (CEMOPLAF)

Donor

US Agency for International Development

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See Also

• Ecuador
• Technical Assistance/Institution Building
• Operations Research
• General Quality of Care
• FRONTIERS Ecuador
• FRONTIERS Technical Assistance/Institution Building
• FRONTIERS Research Tools
• FRONTIERS Economic Evaluation
• FRONTIERS Quality of Care Improvement

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