scholarly journals Financial protection against out-of-pocket health expenditure in Poland

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Tambor ◽  
M Pavlova

Abstract Background Protecting people against financial hardship associated with using health care, is crucial for achieving universal health coverage. Despite the significant improvement happening in the last two decades, household out-of-pocket payments in Poland account for 23% of current spending on health, which is more than in many European Union countries. This implies an incased risk of financial hardship for Polish households. Methods The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which people in Poland experience financial hardship when they use health services. The analysis draws on household budget survey data collected annually by the Central Statistical Office of Poland between 2005 and 2014. It focuses on two indicators of financial protection: catastrophic health spending and impoverishing health spending. The study is a part of WHO country-based studies generating new evidence on financial protection in European health systems. Results In 2014, 8.6% of Polish households experienced catastrophic health spending, while 3.8% of households were impoverished or further impoverished due to health spending. Financial hardship is heavily concentrated among the poorest households for whom the incidence of catastrophic spending is 30%. Outpatient medicines are the largest single driver of catastrophic health spending across all consumption quintiles except the richest. For the richest households, payments for medical products and dental care are the main causes of financial hardship. Although financial protection improved between 2005 and 2014, the improvement among the poorest was marginal. Conclusions Policy attention should focus on protecting households against high spending on outpatient medicines, e.g. revising patient cost-sharing for prescribed medicines and strengthen regulation for over-the-counter medicines. The protection mechanisms should be targeted at low-income households (people living on social benefits, disability or survivor's pensioners). Key messages Financial protection is fairly weak in Poland compared to many European Union countries. Out-of-pocket payments for medicines (prescribed and over-the-counter) are the main cause of financial hardship for Polish households.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viroj Tangcharoensathien ◽  
Kanjana Tisayaticom ◽  
Rapeepong Suphanchaimat ◽  
Vuthiphan Vongmongkol ◽  
Shaheda Viriyathorn ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Thailand, an upper-middle income country, has demonstrated exemplary outcomes of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The country achieved full population coverage and a high level of financial risk protection since 2002, through implementing three public health insurance schemes. UHC has two explicit goals of improved access to health services and financial protection where use of these services does not create financial hardship. Prior studies in Thailand do not however provide evidence of long-term UHC financial risk protection. This study assessed financial risk protection as measured by the incidence of catastrophic health spending and impoverishment in Thai households prior to and after UHC in 2002.Methods: We used data from a fifteen-year series of annual national household socioeconomic surveys between 1996 and 2015, which were conducted by the National Statistical Office. The survey covered about 52,000 nationally representative households in each round. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the incidence of catastrophic payment as measured by the share of out-of-pocket payments for health by households exceeding 10% and 25% of household total consumption expenditure, and the incidence of impoverishment as determined by the additional number of non-poor households falling below the national and international poverty lines after making health payments. Results: Using the 10% threshold, the incidence of catastrophic spending dropped from 6.0% in 1996 to 2% in 2015. This incidence reduced more significantly when the 25% threshold was applied from 1.8% to 0.4% during the same period. The incidence of impoverishment against the national poverty line reduced considerably from 2.2% in 1996 to approximately 0.3% in 2015. When the international poverty line of US$ 3.1 per capita per day was applied, the incidence of impoverishment was 1.4% and 0.4% in 1996 and 2015 respectively; and when US$ 1.9 per day was applied, the incidence was negligibly low. Conclusion: The significant decline in the incidence of catastrophic health spending and impoverishment was attributed to the deliberate design of Thailand’s UHC, which provides a comprehensive benefits package and zero co-payment at point of services. The well-founded healthcare delivery system and favourable benefit package concertedly support the achievement of UHC goals of access and financial risk protection.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amarech Guda Obse ◽  
John E. Ataguba

Abstract Background About 5% of the global population, predominantly in low- and middle-income countries, is forced into poverty because of out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending. In most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the share of OOP health spending in current health expenditure exceeds 35%, increasing the likelihood of impoverishment. In Ethiopia, OOP payments remained high at 37% of current health expenditure in 2016. This study aims to assess impoverishment resulting from OOP health spending in Ethiopia and examine the factors associated with this impoverishment.Methods This paper uses data from the Ethiopian Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2010/11. The HCES covered 10,368 rural and 17,664 urban households. OOP health spending includes spending on various outpatient and inpatient services. Impoverishing impact of OOP health spending was estimated by comparing poverty estimates before and after OOP health spending. A probit model was used to assess factors that are associated with impoverishment.Results Using the Ethiopian national poverty line of Birr 3,781 per person per year (equivalent to US$2.10 per day), OOP health spending pushed about 1.19% of the population (i.e. over 957,169 individuals) into poverty. Living in rural areas (highland, moderate, or lowland) increased the likelihood of impoverishment compared to residing in an urban area. Households headed by males and adults with formal education are less likely to be impoverished by OOP health spending, compared to their counterparts.Conclusion In Ethiopia, OOP health spending impoverishes a significant number of the population. Although the country had piloted and initiated many reforms, e.g. the fee waiver system and community-based health insurance, a significant proportion of the population still lacks financial protection. The estimates of impoverishment from out-of-pocket payments reported in this paper do not consider individuals that are already poor before paying out-of-pocket for health services. It is important to note that this population may either face deepening poverty or forgo healthcare services if a need arises. More is therefore required to provide financial protection to achieve universal health coverage in Ethiopia, where the informal sector is relatively large.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amarech Guda Obse ◽  
John E. Ataguba

Abstract Background: About5% of the global population, predominantly in low- and middle-income countries, is forced into poverty because of out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending. In most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the share of OOP health spending in current health expenditure exceeds 35%, increasing the likelihood of impoverishment. In Ethiopia, OOP payments remained high at 37% of current health expenditure in 2016. This study aims to assess impoverishment resulting from OOP health spending in Ethiopia and examine the factors associated with this impoverishment. Methods: This paper uses data from the Ethiopian Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2010/11. The HCES covered 10,368 rural and 17,664 urban households. OOP health spending includes spending on various outpatient and inpatient services. Impoverishing impact of OOP health spending was estimated by comparing poverty estimates before and after OOP health spending. A probit model was used to assess factors that are associated with impoverishment. Results: Using the Ethiopian national poverty line of Birr 3,781 per person per year (equivalent to US$2.10 per day), OOP health spending pushed about 1.19% of the population (i.e. over 957,169 individuals) into poverty. At regional level, impoverishment ranged between 2.35% in Harari and 0.35% in Addis Ababa. Living in rural areas (highland, moderate, or lowland) increased the likelihood of impoverishment compared to residing in an urban area. Households headed by males and adults with formal education are less likely to be impoverished by OOP health spending, compared to their counterparts. Conclusion:In Ethiopia, OOP health spending impoverishes a significant number of the population. Although the country had piloted and initiated many reforms, e.g. the fee waiver system and community-based health insurance, a significant proportion of the population still lacks financial protection. The estimates of impoverishment from out-of-pocket payments reported in this paper do not consider individuals that are already poor before paying out-of-pocket for health services. It is important to note that this population may either face deepening poverty or forgo healthcare services if a need arises. More is therefore required to provide financial protection to achieve universal health coverage in Ethiopia, where the informal sector is relatively large.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i38-i46
Author(s):  
Alex Ergo ◽  
Thant Sin Htoo ◽  
Reena Badiani-Magnusson ◽  
Rivandra Royono

Abstract Myanmar’s health sector has received low levels of public spending since 1975. Combined with the country’s historic political and economic isolation, poor economic management and multiple internal armed conflicts, these limited resources have translated into low coverage of even the most basic services and into poor health outcomes with wide disparities. They have also resulted in out-of-pocket payments for health as a proportion of total health spending being among the highest in the world. The Government of Myanmar has now affirmed its commitment to moving toward Universal Health Coverage. This commitment is reflected in the National Health Plan 2017–2021. Drawing upon analysis of data from the Myanmar Poverty and Living Conditions Survey 2015 and using the country’s revised methodology to estimate poverty, this paper explores some of the consequences of Myanmar’s excessive reliance on out-of-pocket funding as the main source of health financing. Around 481 000 households in Myanmar experienced catastrophic health spending in 2015. Of this group, 185 000 households lived below the national poverty line. Households that experienced catastrophic health spending spent, on average, 54.7% of their total capacity to pay on health. Of all Myanmar households that went to a health facility in 2015, ∼28% took loans and ∼13% sold their assets to cover health spending. In that same year, ∼1.7 million people fell below the national poverty line due to health spending. The paper then discusses how ongoing reforms could help alleviate the financial hardship associated with care-seeking. With current political will to reform the health system, a conducive macro-economic environment, and the relatively limited vested interests, Myanmar has a window of opportunity to achieve significant progress towards UHC. Continued high-level political support and strong leadership will be needed to keep reforms on track.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viroj Tangcharoensathien ◽  
Kanjana Tisayaticom ◽  
Rapeepong Suphanchaimat ◽  
Vuthiphan Vongmongkol ◽  
Shaheda Viriyathorn ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Thailand, an upper-middle income country, has demonstrated exemplary outcomes of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The country achieved full population coverage and a high level of financial risk protection since 2002, through implementing three public health insurance schemes. UHC has two explicit goals of improved access to health services and financial protection where use of these services does not create financial hardship. Prior studies in Thailand do not however provide evidence of long-term UHC financial risk protection. This study assessed financial risk protection as measured by the incidence of catastrophic health spending and impoverishment in Thai households prior to and after UHC in 2002.Methods: We used data from a fifteen-year series of annual national household socioeconomic surveys between 1996 and 2015, which were conducted by the National Statistical Office. The survey covered about 52,000 nationally representative households in each round. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the incidence of catastrophic payment as measured by the share of out-of-pocket payments for health by households exceeding 10% and 25% of household total consumption expenditure, and the incidence of impoverishment as determined by the additional number of non-poor households falling below the national and international poverty lines after making health payments. Results: Using the 10% threshold, the incidence of catastrophic spending dropped from 6.0% in 1996 to 2% in 2015. This incidence reduced more significantly when the 25% threshold was applied from 1.8% to 0.4% during the same period. The incidence of impoverishment against the national poverty line reduced considerably from 2.2% in 1996 to approximately 0.3% in 2015. When the international poverty line of US$ 3.1 per capita per day was applied, the incidence of impoverishment was 1.4% and 0.4% in 1996 and 2015 respectively; and when US$ 1.9 per day was applied, the incidence was negligibly low. Conclusion: The significant decline in the incidence of catastrophic health spending and impoverishment was attributed to the deliberate design of Thailand’s UHC, which provides a comprehensive benefits package and zero co-payment at point of services. The well-founded healthcare delivery system and favourable benefit package concertedly support the achievement of UHC goals of access and financial risk protection.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amarech G. Obse ◽  
John E. Ataguba

Abstract Background: Providing adequate financial protection for all remains an essentialaspect of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). In Ethiopia, although the government has introduced reforms, out-of-pocket (OOP) spending accounts for 37% of current health expenditure in 2016. This is considered high enough to lead to financial catastrophe—a situation where a household spends more than a given fraction of its expenditure (or capacity to pay) OOP on health services. This study assessedfinancial catastrophe resulting from OOP health spending in Ethiopia. Methods: Data come fromthe Ethiopian Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2010/11 with about 28,000 households. The incidence and intensity of catastrophic spending were estimated using rank-dependent thresholds that are different depending on household income levels—the thresholds become lower for low-income households. Initial thresholds used ranged between 5% and 25% of total household expenditure, and between 20% and 40% of household non-food expenditure. Concentration indices are used to assess whether financial catastrophe is more prevalent among the poor or rich. Results: Atthe 10% initial threshold of total household expenditure, financial catastrophe was estimated at 4.08%, translating to over 668,000 households. At an initial threshold of 40% of total household non-food expenditure, about 0.82% or about 133,600 households incurred financial catastrophe, paying more thantheir rank-dependent thresholds. Financialcatastrophe was more prevalent among poorer and urban households, butthere was a mixed pattern across Ethiopia’s 11 regions. Conclusion: Financialcatastrophe resulting from paying OOP for health services exists in Ethiopia, affecting over 100,000 households. The low incidence compared to other studies may suggest that government’s initiatives like the fee-waiver and exemption systems have been successful, but the prevalence of financial catastrophe among the poor may signify that more is needed to achieve universal financial protection in Ethiopia. Keywords: Universal health coverage; financial catastrophe; Ethiopia


Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 137 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gene F Kwan ◽  
Benito Isaac ◽  
Lily Yan ◽  
Waking Jean-Baptiste ◽  
Densa Belony ◽  
...  

Background: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are a major and growing cause of death and disability in low-income countries, and contribute a substantial portion of outpatient clinic visits. Poverty can be a major barrier to accessing healthcare in rural low-income countries. The objective of this study is to describe the demographics and socioeconomic status of patients attending an NCD clinic in rural Haiti, where poverty is highly prevalent. Methods: We analyzed routinely collected clinic data from adult patients in rural Haiti presenting to the NCD clinic at Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais. We collected data during routine initial clinic visits from July 2013 through October 2016. We performed descriptive statistics to assess patient demographics and socioeconomic status using available data. We evaluated poverty based on the Multidimensional Poverty Index by evaluating 9 indicators within three dimensions: health, education, and standard of living - we did not assess electricity. We assessed deprivation within each indicator. The “poorest” patients were defined as those deprived in 4 of the 9 poverty indicators. We also assessed measures of catastrophic health spending. Results: A total of 518 adults were included, with 72% (373/508) women. The mean overall age was 52.8 years (SD 14.7) and 21% (108/518) were 40 years old or younger. Of the patients, 32% had only hypertension, 18% had only diabetes, 32% had both diabetes and hypertension, 5% had heart failure, and 13% had no recorded diagnosis. 45% of patients travel more than 1 hour for clinic visits. Almost half (49%, 146/296) of adults sold belongings and 61% (178/292) borrowed money to pay for healthcare. Among the poverty measures, the top indicators with deprivation were cooking fuel with charcoal or wood (96%, 290/302), child death in household (70%, 169/243), and no household members completing primary school (25%, 83/324), lack of household assets (25%, 79/313), poor sanitation (19%, 59/304), dirt floor (16%, 50/304), and lack of improved drinking water (9%, 29/308). Of all patients, 21% (78/378) were among the poorest. Throughout Haiti, however, 55% of the population are among the poorest. There were more patients among the poorest living closer to the hospital (27%) than living farther away (10%). Interpretation: The great majority of patients were middle-aged women, with predominantly hypertension and/or diabetes. Socioeconomic deprivation was high among many poverty indicators and most patients experienced catastrophic health spending. At this clinic in rural Haiti, the proportion of patients presenting for care who are among the poorest is less than that overall in Haiti. Patients who travel far distances have less poverty. Health systems for chronic disease management in rural low-income countries must account for patient poverty.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Viroj Tangcharoensathien ◽  
Kanjana Tisayaticom ◽  
Rapeepong Suphanchaimat ◽  
Vuthiphan Vongmongkol ◽  
Shaheda Viriyathorn ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Thailand, an upper-middle income country, has demonstrated exemplary outcomes of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The country achieved full population coverage and a high level of financial risk protection since 2002, through implementing three public health insurance schemes. UHC has two explicit goals of improved access to health services and financial protection where use of these services does not create financial hardship. Prior studies in Thailand do not provide evidence of long-term UHC financial risk protection. This study assessed financial risk protection as measured by the incidence of catastrophic health spending and impoverishment in Thai households prior to and after UHC in 2002. Methods We used data from a 15-year series of annual national household socioeconomic surveys (SES) between 1996 and 2015, which were conducted by the National Statistic Office (NSO). The survey covered about 52,000 nationally representative households in each round. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the incidence of catastrophic payment as measured by the share of out-of-pocket payment (OOP) for health by households exceeding 10 and 25% of household total consumption expenditure, and the incidence of impoverishment as determined by the additional number of non-poor households falling below the national and international poverty lines after making health payments. Results Using the 10% threshold, the incidence of catastrophic spending dropped from 6.0% in 1996 to 2% in 2015. This incidence reduced more significantly when the 25% threshold was applied from 1.8 to 0.4% during the same period. The incidence of impoverishment against the national poverty line reduced considerably from 2.2% in 1996 to approximately 0.3% in 2015. When the international poverty line of US$ 3.1 per capita per day was applied, the incidence of impoverishment was 1.4 and 0.4% in 1996 and 2015 respectively; and when US$ 1.9 per day was applied, the incidence was negligibly low. Conclusion The significant decline in the incidence of catastrophic health spending and impoverishment was attributed to the deliberate design of Thailand’s UHC, which provides a comprehensive benefits package and zero co-payment at point of services. The well-founded healthcare delivery system and favourable benefits package concertedly support the achievement of UHC goals of access and financial risk protection.


2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 25-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Gruber ◽  
Helen Levy

How has the economic risk of health spending changed over time for U.S. households? We describe trends in aggregate health spending in the United States and how private insurance markets and public insurance programs have changed over time. We then present evidence from Consumer Expenditure Survey microdata on how the distribution of household spending on health—that is, out-of-pocket payments for medical care plus the household's share of health insurance premiums—has changed over time. This distribution has shifted up over time—households spend more on medical care and insurance than they used to—but for the purposes of measuring change in risk, it is not the mean but the dispersion of this distribution that is of interest. We consider two measures of dispersion that serve as proxies for household risk: the standard deviation of the distribution of household health spending and the ratio of the 90th percentile of spending to the median (the so-called “90/50 gap”). We find, surprisingly, that neither has increased despite the rapid rise in aggregate health spending. This conclusion holds true for broad subgroups of the population (for example, the nonelderly as a group) but not for some narrowly-defined subgroups (for example, low-income families with children). We next consider how much risk households should face, from the perspective of economic efficiency. Household risk may not have changed much over the past several decades, but do we have any evidence that this level represents either too much or too little risk? Finally, we discuss implications for public policy—in particular, for current debates over expanding health insurance coverage to the uninsured.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 183-206
Author(s):  
Manali Swargiary ◽  
◽  
Hemkhothang Lhungdim ◽  
Mrinmoy Pratim Bharadwaz ◽  
◽  
...  

Healthcare for Indian women needs prioritizing, as they continue to face social and economic discrimination over their healthcare, often with high out-of-pocket payments. The study examines the amount inpatient women have to pay for treatment of major diseases, re-classified into four groups as infectious, reproductive, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and disabilities & injuries, across the country to comprehend the extent of catastrophic health spending (CHS) they experienced. The study is based on India’s 75th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS), i.e., Household Social Consumption: Health (2017-2018), consisting of 26,938 inpatient women aged 12 and above from India's urban and rural areas. We examine the prevalence of the four categories of diseases by individual, household, community, and healthcare characteristics. Expenditure estimates were derived from cross-tabulation, followed by binary logistic regression to assess the association between covariates and inpatient expenditures for the diseases. Indian women are more likely to be hospitalized for infectious diseases (43%), but the burden of CHS (overall) is highest for disabilities and injuries (INR 24,414), followed by NCDs (INR 23,053). Duration of hospitalization and possession of health insurance by women indicate maximum variation with medical spending. Almost 97% of women have incurred out-of-pocket expenditure on hospitalization, from which we identify three layers of CHS. A substantial proportion of women (23 to 50%) experienced CHS, i.e., up to 0-10%, 11-30%, and >30%, which varies distinctively by place of residence and across the six regions. Covariates like age, economic status, and healthcare are highly significant and associated with disease-wise CHS thresholds. Women in India face divergent financial hardships for healthcare. Given the heterogeneity of morbidities and socio-economic characteristics, the need for women-sensitive public health services and interventions are evident.


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