Achieving Universal Health Coverage in Developing Asia and the Pacific

Abstract

Universal health coverage (UHC) ensures that all people have equitable and affordable access to quality healthcare without the risk of experiencing financial hardship. • The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the urgency for governments to prioritize expanding UHC to ensure a more resilient society and economy. • In the Republic of Korea, community-based health insurance (CBHI) systems proved to be an effective method of introducing health coverage in phases, which later expanded to the whole population, including those in the informal economy. • Policies should focus on system design, operation, and engaging citizens throughout the process. It is also important that the CBHI systems are tailored to the local context and needs, giving communities the autonomy and flexibility to operate independently from the central government, but within established guidelines.

Towards universal health coverage in Vietnam: a mixed-method case study of enrolling people with tuberculosis into social health insurance

“…Contributing to universal health coverage (UHC) by improving access to fair and sustainable health financing, of which one mechanism is health insurance, has become a priority among low-and middle-income countries [1,2]. Many countries in the Asia Pacific region have made steady progress towards UHC coverage through sustained political commitments and fiscal policy aligned with their commitment [3]. By 2020, 27 countries had implemented a social health insurance (SHI) financing mechanism, which typically includes open enrollment for the full population along with partial or full subsidization of healthcare costs for vulnerable groups [4].…”