Duplicate PHI has provided financing for capacity development in the private hospital sector in some countries, thereby helping to alleviating consumer inconvenience generated by non-price rationing in public hospitals. Only a few OECD countries have both long waiting times and high levels of population covered by PHI. Australia has especially emphasised the role private cover plays as the main mechanism for shifting demand away from overburdened public hospitals, while Ireland has instead placed more emphasis on the role of the public system in addressing waiting concerns. Cross-country comparisons of levels of waiting for elective surgery suggest longer waiting times in Ireland than in Australia, despite similar levels.
