• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.821-824
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• 2023

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.5-16
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• 2021

Both access to healthcare services and income security in case of personal illness are being needed to achieve universal health coverage, which is enshrined in the human rights to health and social security and international standards on social protection. Income security acts on both the social determinants and the adverse consequences of ill health and thus would break the vicious disease-poverty cycle. The government is supposed to implement a demonstration project of sickness benefit in 2022 and to publicize its more specific blueprint for all workers. This study is to suggest basic principles and a framework to design a new sickness benefit for universal health coverage, which is based on reviews on previous studies, related issues, and institutional conditions. This is to provide a theoretical basis to promote further discussion and to support its decision-making.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.89-99
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• 2018

Objectives : To compare the degree of achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) among 39 developing countries in Africa and to investigate the correlation between health care financing and the UHC index. Methods : For data, 14 UHC indexes were used in 2015 supplied by the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, this study used a 10% of threshold point corresponding to the catastrophic health expenditures and a 25% of threshold points as a health care financing index. Results : It was found that there were significant difference among Least Low Developed Countries (LLDCs), Other Low Income Countries (Other LICs), Lower Middle Income Countiies (LMICs), Upper Middle Income Countires (UMICs) to compare the average value by nation on the UHC index. This study showed that the UHC index of LLDCs was lowest, but the average value was higher as it moved towards LMICs and UMICs. In addition, it was found that there was an average value difference among the groups like LLDCs, Other LICs, LMICs and UMICs. As a result of comparison, it was found that the spending of household health expenditure increased as LLDCs moved towards UMICs when the burden of household health expenditure was 25%. Conclusions : This study aimed to compare the UHC indexes of African nations and to investigate the correlation between the degree of spending of total expenditure on health and burden of household health expenditure and UHC, and its effect.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 2022

Objectives: No systematic review has explored the challenges related to worldwide universal health coverage (UHC). This study reviewed challenges on the road to UHC. Methods: A systematic electronic search of all studies that identified the challenges of worldwide UHC was conducted, without any restrictions related to the publication date or language. A hand search and a bibliographic search were also conducted to identify which texts to include in this study. These sources and citations yielded a total of 2500 articles, only 26 of which met the inclusion criteria. Relevant data from these papers were extracted, summarized, grouped, and reported in tables. Results: Of the 26 included studies, 7 (27%) were reviews, 6 (23%) were reports, and 13 (50%) had another type of study design. The publication dates of the included studies ranged from 2011 to 2020. Nine studies (35%) were published in 2019. Using the World Health Organization conceptual model, data on all of the challenges related to UHC in terms of the 4 functions of health systems (stewardship, creating resource, financing, and delivering services) were extracted from the included studies and reported. Conclusions: This study provides a straightforward summary of previous studies that explored the challenges related to UHC and conducted an in-depth analysis of viable solutions.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.267-271
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• 2017

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the introduction of National Health Insurance (NHI) which has contributed to improving public health and accessibility. This article aims to show the trends of main indicators during the last 40 years. NHI has achieved rapid expansion of target population (1977-1989). The percentage of population covered increased from 8.8% in 1977 to 94% in 1990. The average number of visit days per person was 0.75 in 1977 but significantly increased to 31.11 in 2015. In 2015, NHI revenues were 52.4 trillion won and expenditures were 48.2 trillion won which is 9.5 times and 9.6 times higher than in 1995. NHI achieved universal coverage in short period of time and has contributed to improving the healthcare status. However, there still remain problems including low-benefit coverage and high out of pocket money. Therefore, the effort to reform these problems is needed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.91-94
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• 2024

For nearly four decades, Ugandans have experienced a period marked by hope, conflict, and resilience across various aspects of healthcare reform. The health insurance system in Uganda lacks a legal framework and does not extend benefits to the entire population. In Uganda, community-based health insurance is common among those in the informal sector, while private medical insurance is typically provided to employees by their workplaces and agencies. The National Health Insurance Scheme Bill, introduced in 2019, was passed in 2021. If the President of Uganda gives his assent to the National Health Insurance Bill, it will become a significant policy driving health and universal health coverage. However, this bill is not without its shortcomings. In this perspective, we aim to explore the complex interplay of challenges and opportunities facing Uganda's health sector.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.173-218
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• 2018

This study focuses on the healthcare sector in Vietnam which is promoting universal health insurance for the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) under Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of the reform process of the health care system and the law on health insurance through the historical and cultural contexts and its implications from the perspective of development. Based on the three dimensions of UHC - extension of protection for population, provision of various medical services, and financial protection, the current status of the Vietnam healthcare sector is summarized respectively as follows. First, according to the revised Health Insurance law which came into effect in 2015, the mandatory health insurance premiums are calculated based on household units. Second, there is a medical network that can provide preventive and healthcare services centered on primary health care facilities, for example commune health stations (trạm y $t{\hat{e}}$ $X{\tilde{a}}$). Third, out-of-pocket expenditure is still a large proportion although public spending has increased and private spending has decreased since the enforcement of the health insurance law and various schemes. Vietnam is currently striving towards a universal health care system. The development of institutions and systems should be designed in a way that is appropriate for the members of the society rather than efficiency. This article findings shed light on the role of social values, family culture, and informal institutions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3541-3544
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• 2016

Background: As the treatment modalities for oral cancer have been relatively consistent during the last two-decades, this study was conducted to compare survivals of oral cancer patients in Khon Kaen Province before and after the universal coverage scheme (UC) was launched in Thailand. Materials and Methods: The data were retrieved from the population-based cancer registry of Khon Kaen for oral cancer patients diagnosed during 1992-2001 (pre-UC), and 2004-2012 (post-UC). To compare survival of the two cohorts, Kaplan Meier and log rank tests were employed. Results: Of 1,196 patients, 65% were females and the median age was 65 years. The most common primary sites were lip (31.0%), tongue (29.9%), and buccal mucosa (14.6%). The proportion of early stage cancer increased from 20.4 % in pre-UC to 41.3% in post-UC. The overall 5-year survival rate was 36.5% (95% CI =32.6-40.9) for pre-UC and 32.4% (95% CI = 28.8-36.4) for post-UC. The declining survival was mainly due to an increasing proportion of tongue cancer. However, no survival improvement was demonstrated on subgroup analysis of the tongue cancer patients. Conclusions: After the universal coverage scheme had been launched, early diagnosis increased, but no significant gain in survival for oral cancer patients was achieved.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3593-3593
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• 2015

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.210-216
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• 2018

National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) has put a great effort on extending life expectancy, for last 40 years. The system has also made remarkable outcomes in achieving universal health coverage. However, it is facing challenges of low health insurance benefits and sustainability risk due to low birth rate and aging society at the same time. To overcome the difficulties and build a lifelong health security system for the nation, it is required for NHIS to make multilateral changes in its roles. Based on the quantitative growth achieved so far, NHIS needs to strive for the growth in quality by not only increasing coverage and reforming contribution imposition system, but also reorganizing the relevant systems such as lifelong health management support, rational adjustment to the medical fee, and benefit costs monitoring. In addition, it's important for NHIS to restructure the organizational culture by having specialty and communicating with people for high quality of administration and health insurance sustainability.