Population Coverage to Reach Universal Health Coverage in Selected Nations: A Synthesis of Global Strategies
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to provide tailored transferrable lessons for expanding population coverage through a descriptive lens by reviewing the population coverage policies, reforms and strategies in selected nations.
Methods: In this comparative short communication, 14 countries with different status of population coverage and political economy that had successful experiences with coverage expansion were selected and categorized in four groups to study their approaches to reach Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Results: Although each country needs to tailor its policies and reforms based on its own contextual factors, the legal right of citizens to social security and health protection are enshrined in most countries' Constitution. Some countries adapted political and economic reforms to evolve their Social Health Insurance schemes. National laws to push governments to adapt UHC as a national strategy for ensuring that every resident is enrolled in health insurance schemes are key policies to reach UHC.
Conclusion: A series of reforms are required to provide total population coverage through various approaches. To create an effective insurance coverage, physical merger of all insurance funds is not necessarily required. Further, the share of GDP for health is not a definite indicator to reach UHC. Finally, strong political commitment and citizens’ participation are the key issues in reaching UHC, while considering the poorest, remote and neglected population really matters.
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14. Ha BT, Frizen S, Thi LM et al (2014). Policy Processes Underpinning Universal Health Insurance in Vietnam. Glob Health Action, 7:24928.
15. Nagpal S (2013). Expanding Health Coverage for Vulnerable Groups in India. World Bank, Washington, DC. Universal Health Coverage Studies Series, No.13.
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18. Reddy KS, Patel V, Jha P et al (2011). Towards Achievement of Universal Health Care in India By 2020: A Call to Action. Lancet, 377(9767):760-8.
19. World Bank (2016). Deepening Health Reform in China: Building High-Quality and Value-Based Service Delivery. World Bank, Washington, DC.
20. Fang H (2014). The Chinese Health Care System. The Commonwealth Fund. https://international.commonwealthfund.org/countries/china/
21. Govender V, Chersich MF, Harris B et al (2013). Moving Towards Universal Coverage in South Africa? Lessons From A Voluntary Government Insurance Scheme. Glob Health Action, 6:19253.
22. Department of Health, Republic of South Africa (2017). National Health Insurance for South Africa: Towards Universal Health Coverage. Government Gazette, No. 40955.
23. Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (2016). Thailand Health Systems in Transition, Health System Review: Achievements And Challenges. World Health Organization. Policy Notes Series.
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25. Arora S, Charlesworth A, Kelly E, Stoye G (2013). Public Payment and Private Provision: the Changing Landscape of Health Care in the 2000s. Nuffield Trust and Institute for Fiscal Studies, London. https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/research/public-payment-and-private-provision-the-changing-landscape-of-health-care-in-the-2000s
26. Mossialos E, Wenzl M, Osborn R, Anderson C (2016). International Profiles of Health Care Systems, 2015. The Commonwealth Fund.
27. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2014). Australia’s Health. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia’s Health Series No. 14. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/australias-health-2014/contents/table-of-contents
28. Kwon S, Lee TJ, Kim Ch (2015). Republic of Korea: Health System Review. Health Syst Transit, 5(4). https://iris.wpro.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665.1/11358/9789290617105_eng.pdf
29. World Health Organization (2014). Thailand, Total expenditure on health as % of GDP. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/countries/tha/en/
2. OECD (2014). Situating Health Care Quality Measurement and Improvement Within the UHC Agenda. OECD: Better Policies for Better Lives. https://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/Situating-HCQ-in-UHC.pdf
3. Adhikari SR (2014). Towards Universal Health Coverage: An Example of Malaria Intervention in Nepal. WHO South East Asia J Public Health, 3:103-12.
4. Asian Development Bank (2016). National Health Insurance for Universal Health Coverage. Asian Development Bank (ADB) Headquarters, Manila, Philippines.
5. Ooms G, Latif LA, Waris A et al (2014). Is Universal Health Coverage the Practical Expression of The Right to Health Care? BMC Int Health Hum Rights, 14:3.
6. World Health Organization & World Bank (2015). Tracking Universal Health Coverage: First Global Monitoring Report. World Health Organization.
7. Rao KD, Petrosyan V, Araujo EC, McIntyre D (2014). Progress Towards Universal Health Coverage in BRICS: Translating Economic Growth into Better Health. Bull World Health Organ, 92:429-35.
8. Patcharanarumol W, Tangcharoensathien V, Wibulpolprasert S, Suthiwisesak P (2014). Universal Health Coverage for Inclusive and Sustainable Development: Country Summary Report for Thailand. World Bank. Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, 91220.
9. Aran M, Ozceli EA (2014). Universal Health Coverage for Inclusive and Sustainable Development: Country Summary Report for Turkey. World Bank, Washington, DC. Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, 91221.
10. Lindelow M, Araujo EC (2014). Universal Health Coverage for Inclusive and Sustainable Development: Country Summary Report for Brazil. World Bank, Washington, DC. Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, 91214.
11. Bitran R (2013). Explicit Health Guarantees for Chileans: The AUGE Benefits Package. World Bank, Washington, DC. Universal Health Coverage Studies Series, No. 21.
12. Bonilla-Chacín ME, Aguilera N (2013). The Mexican Social Protection System in Health. World Bank, Washington, DC. Universal Health Coverage Studies Series, No. 1.
13. Somanathan A, Tandon A, Dao HL et al (2014). Moving Toward Universal Coverage of Social Health Insurance in Vietnam: Assessment and Options. World Bank, Washington, DC. Directions in Development: Human Development, 89066.
14. Ha BT, Frizen S, Thi LM et al (2014). Policy Processes Underpinning Universal Health Insurance in Vietnam. Glob Health Action, 7:24928.
15. Nagpal S (2013). Expanding Health Coverage for Vulnerable Groups in India. World Bank, Washington, DC. Universal Health Coverage Studies Series, No.13.
16. Marten R, McIntyre D, Travassos C et al (2014). An Assessment of Progress Towards Universal Health Coverage in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS). Lancet, 384(9960):2164-71.
17. Gragnolati M, Lindelow M, Couttolenc B (2013). Twenty Years of Health System Reform in Brazil: An Assessment of the Sistema Único De Saúde. World Bank, Washington, DC. Directions in Development: Human Development, 78682.
18. Reddy KS, Patel V, Jha P et al (2011). Towards Achievement of Universal Health Care in India By 2020: A Call to Action. Lancet, 377(9767):760-8.
19. World Bank (2016). Deepening Health Reform in China: Building High-Quality and Value-Based Service Delivery. World Bank, Washington, DC.
20. Fang H (2014). The Chinese Health Care System. The Commonwealth Fund. https://international.commonwealthfund.org/countries/china/
21. Govender V, Chersich MF, Harris B et al (2013). Moving Towards Universal Coverage in South Africa? Lessons From A Voluntary Government Insurance Scheme. Glob Health Action, 6:19253.
22. Department of Health, Republic of South Africa (2017). National Health Insurance for South Africa: Towards Universal Health Coverage. Government Gazette, No. 40955.
23. Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (2016). Thailand Health Systems in Transition, Health System Review: Achievements And Challenges. World Health Organization. Policy Notes Series.
24. Boyle S (2011). United Kingdom (England): Health System Review. Health Syst Transit,13(1):1-483.
25. Arora S, Charlesworth A, Kelly E, Stoye G (2013). Public Payment and Private Provision: the Changing Landscape of Health Care in the 2000s. Nuffield Trust and Institute for Fiscal Studies, London. https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/research/public-payment-and-private-provision-the-changing-landscape-of-health-care-in-the-2000s
26. Mossialos E, Wenzl M, Osborn R, Anderson C (2016). International Profiles of Health Care Systems, 2015. The Commonwealth Fund.
27. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2014). Australia’s Health. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia’s Health Series No. 14. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/australias-health-2014/contents/table-of-contents
28. Kwon S, Lee TJ, Kim Ch (2015). Republic of Korea: Health System Review. Health Syst Transit, 5(4). https://iris.wpro.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665.1/11358/9789290617105_eng.pdf
29. World Health Organization (2014). Thailand, Total expenditure on health as % of GDP. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/countries/tha/en/
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 48 No 6 (2019) | |
| Section | Short Communication(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v48i6.2930 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Population coverage Universal health coverage Global strategies | ||
| Rights and permissions | |
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
How to Cite
1.
ALIPOURI SAKHA M, BAHMANZIARI N, TAKIAN A. Population Coverage to Reach Universal Health Coverage in Selected Nations: A Synthesis of Global Strategies. Iran J Public Health. 2019;48(6):1155-1160.
