Supplementary health insurance as a contribution to development of a sustainable healthcare system in the Republic of Serbia

Abstract

Law on Health Insurance regulates three types of voluntary health insurance - complementary, supplementary and private health insurance. These are promising insurance products and the author selected supplementary health insurance. What is the potential of this type of cover? What are conditions for its development? Are the institutional prerequisites for creating a sustainable healthcare system fulfilled in our legislation? After analyzing the relationship between supplementary and voluntary health insurance, the author singles out the health literacy of citizens, potential service users as a prevailing factor in the current regulatory framework. By promoting supplementary health insurance as a product directly linked to compulsory health insurance a message is being sent that the healthcare cost risk in one part of compulsory healthcare can be transferred to insurers offering voluntary health insurance. Author proves that this encourages the inclusion of private insurers in financing the costs of compulsory healthcare, thus achieving cooperation between the private and state sectors with the aim of sustainable development of the healthcare system.