Health financing mechanisms
Social health insurance
In social health insurance, contributions from workers, the self-employed, enterprises and government are pooled into a single or multiple funds on a compulsory basis. These funds typically contract with a mix of public and providers for the provision of a specified benefit package. Preventive and public health care may be provided by these funds or responsibility kept solely by the Ministry of Health. Within social health insurance, a number of functions may be executed by parastatal or non-governmental sickness funds or in a few cases by private health insurance companies.
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Thinking of introducing social health insurance? Ten questions
Technical brief for policy-makers (2009) by Ole Doetinchem, Guy Carrin and David Evans -
Reaching universal coverage via social health insurance: key design features in the transition period
pdf, 472kb
This discussion paper highlights the experience of various countries in the implementation of social health insurance, and suggests a number of performance indicators. -
Social health insurance systems in western Europe
pdf, 1.61Mb
European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies Series (2004). Edited by Richard B. Saltman, Reinhard Busse and Josep Figueras -
Social Health Insurance in Developing Countries: A Continuing Challenge
pdf, 226kb
Carrin, Guy, "Social Health Insurance in Developing Countries: A Continuing Challenge". International Social Security Review, Vol. 55, 2/2002, pp. 57-69.
The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com.
Several low- and middle-income countries are interested in extending their existing health insurance for specific groups to eventually cover their entire populations. For those countries interested in such an extension, it is important to understand the factors that affect the transition from incomplete to universal coverage. This paper analyses the experience of eight countries in the implementation of social health insurance. It highlights the importance of the socioeconomic and political context, particularly in relation to the level of income, structure of the economy, distribution of the population, ability to administer and level of solidarity within the country, but also stresses the important stewardship role government can play in facilitating the transition to universal coverage via social health insurance.
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Social Health Insurance: Key Factors Affecting the Transition Towards Universal Coverage
pdf, 298kb
Carrin, Guy and James, Chris, "Social Health Insurance: Key Factors Affecting the Transition Towards Universal Coverage". International Social Security Review, Vol. 58, 1/2005, pp. 45-64.
The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com. -
Key Performance Indicators for the Implementation of Social Health Insurance
Carrin G, James C (2005), in Applied Health Economics and Health Policy -
The Benefits and Challenges of Social Health Insurance for Developing and Transitional Countries
pdf, 143kb
Doetinchem, Ole; Schramm, Bernd; Schmidt, Jean-Olivier: "The Benefits and Challenges of Social Health Insurance for Developing and Transitional Countries" published as a chapter in: Laaser, Ulrich; Radermacher, Ralf (Eds.): "Financing Health Care – A Dialogue between South Eastern Europe and Germany.". Series International Public Health, Vol. 18, Lage, 2006 (ISBN 3-89918-154-9). -
Health financing reform in Kenya – assessing the social health insurance proposal
Carrin, James et al. (2007) in the South African Medical Journal -
The new Dutch health insurance scheme: challenges and opportunities for better performance in health financing
pdf, 535kb
Discussion paper 3/2007: by Jorine Muiser -
Social health insurance: how feasible is its expansion in the African region?
Guy Carrin, Ole Doetinchem, Joses Kirigia, Inke Mathauer, Laurent Musango (2008); Development ISSues, Institute of Social Studies