Potential Impact of OECD Recommendations on Private Education and Healthcare Costs in Costa Rica
OECD's new report suggests removing tax exemptions in education and health sectors, which could lead to increased expenses for families.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has proposed the elimination of reduced VAT rates on private education and healthcare services in Costa Rica, which could significantly increase tuition fees and healthcare costs at private institutions.
The recommendations are part of the OECD's report, _OECD Economic Studies: Costa Rica 2025_, published recently, which outlines seven proposed reforms aimed at strengthening tax revenue for the government.
Notably, the report identifies the removal of tax exemptions currently granted to private schools, universities, and medical centers.
It highlights that the existing exemptions are deemed 'regressive', primarily benefiting higher-income households.
Presently, private education services are exempt from VAT, while private healthcare services are subject to a reduced VAT rate of 4%.
If the OECD's recommendation is implemented, users would be responsible for the full tax payment, thus increasing the overall cost of accessing these services.
According to the OECD, abolishing the reduced VAT rates, coupled with other tax modifications, could potentially enhance government revenue by 2.1% of GDP. However, this adjustment would have a direct economic impact on families and businesses relying on these services.
The education sector is expected to experience considerable strain, with private schools and universities likely facing heightened operational costs, potentially leading to increased tuition rates or reduced scholarships and benefits for students.
In the health sector, patients would incur higher costs for consultations, surgeries, and specialized treatments, possibly driving more individuals toward the public healthcare system, thereby increasing pressure on the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS).
In addition to VAT changes, the OECD's report recommends various other tax reforms, including the elimination of income tax exemptions for cooperatives, modifications to property taxes to enhance contributions to the treasury, and centralizing the tax collection system to reduce fragmentation in tax payments.
Furthermore, the report advocates removing exceptions to income tax to broaden the tax base and redistributing part of the financing for institutions such as the National Institute of Learning (INA) and the Development and Training Fund (Fodesaf) to the state budget.
The OECD report also addresses Costa Rica's high public debt level, projected to reach 59.8% of GDP in 2024. It stresses the necessity for strict adherence to fiscal rules, a review of public spending, and improvements in revenue collection efficiency to avert further dependency on new borrowings.
As of now, the Costa Rican government has not indicated whether it will enact these recommendations.
Should structural adjustments to the tax system be proposed, they are expected to provoke discussion in Congress and among impacted economic sectors.
The recommendations are part of the OECD's report, _OECD Economic Studies: Costa Rica 2025_, published recently, which outlines seven proposed reforms aimed at strengthening tax revenue for the government.
Notably, the report identifies the removal of tax exemptions currently granted to private schools, universities, and medical centers.
It highlights that the existing exemptions are deemed 'regressive', primarily benefiting higher-income households.
Presently, private education services are exempt from VAT, while private healthcare services are subject to a reduced VAT rate of 4%.
If the OECD's recommendation is implemented, users would be responsible for the full tax payment, thus increasing the overall cost of accessing these services.
According to the OECD, abolishing the reduced VAT rates, coupled with other tax modifications, could potentially enhance government revenue by 2.1% of GDP. However, this adjustment would have a direct economic impact on families and businesses relying on these services.
The education sector is expected to experience considerable strain, with private schools and universities likely facing heightened operational costs, potentially leading to increased tuition rates or reduced scholarships and benefits for students.
In the health sector, patients would incur higher costs for consultations, surgeries, and specialized treatments, possibly driving more individuals toward the public healthcare system, thereby increasing pressure on the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS).
In addition to VAT changes, the OECD's report recommends various other tax reforms, including the elimination of income tax exemptions for cooperatives, modifications to property taxes to enhance contributions to the treasury, and centralizing the tax collection system to reduce fragmentation in tax payments.
Furthermore, the report advocates removing exceptions to income tax to broaden the tax base and redistributing part of the financing for institutions such as the National Institute of Learning (INA) and the Development and Training Fund (Fodesaf) to the state budget.
The OECD report also addresses Costa Rica's high public debt level, projected to reach 59.8% of GDP in 2024. It stresses the necessity for strict adherence to fiscal rules, a review of public spending, and improvements in revenue collection efficiency to avert further dependency on new borrowings.
As of now, the Costa Rican government has not indicated whether it will enact these recommendations.
Should structural adjustments to the tax system be proposed, they are expected to provoke discussion in Congress and among impacted economic sectors.
