Charging of overseas visitors within England and achieving Universal Health Coverage: A cross sectional analysis of a freedom of information request of NHS trusts in England

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Dobbin ◽  
Adrienne Milner ◽  
Alexander Dobbin ◽  
Jessica Potter
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Linear Regression ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Freedom Of Information ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Information Request ◽  
Cost Of Health Care ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Universal Health

Abstract Background Not everybody living in or visiting the UK is eligible for free NHS care. Individuals from outside the European Economic Area who have not paid the immigration surcharge are chargeable for NHS care at 150% of cost. In 2017, new regulations introduced upfront charging for non-urgent care. Following this, reports of individuals being denied treatment – in particular British people from the Windrush generation appeared. This research provides the first large scale dataset examining the demographics of those charged. Methods A freedom of information request was sent to 135 acute non-specialist NHS trusts in England to create a database of non-EEA overseas visitors charges from 2016/17 and 2017/18. This cross sectional survey was analysed using multiple linear regression to explore the relationship between sex, age, nationality, ethnicity, urgency and the cost of health care. Results Of 135 acute non-specialist trusts in England 64 replied, providing a data set of 13,484 patients. Women were found to be invoiced higher amounts than men (p=0.002). Patients were more likely to be women (63% vs. 37% men), and within this group, almost half of patients were of reproductive age, with 47.9% (3165) aged 16 to 40 years old. Multiple linear regression by age group showed that age is significantly related to the cost of health care with patients over 65 paying more than those aged 16-40, and 41-64 (p=0.011), and children under 16 paying less (p<0.001). The urgency of treatment was significantly related to cost, with the most urgent (immediantly necessary) treatment costing the most (p<0.001). Conclusions The demographics of those charged as overseas visitors alligns with the pattern of estimated costs of care for NHS care overall, where women of reproductive age and older patients require a higher amount of medical care. This research reflects current concerns of migrants being left behind in the strive towards universal health coverage which should be based upon quality, equality, and financial protection for patients. A key limitation was the low response rate.. The limitation of missing data has meant that questions surrounding possible charging discrimination of ethnic grounds cannot be answered.

scholarly journals Charging of overseas visitors in England and universal health coverage: a cross-sectional analysis of NHS trusts

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Dobbin ◽  
Adrienne Milner ◽  
Alexander Dobbin ◽  
Jessica Potter
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Urgent Care ◽  
Freedom Of Information ◽  
European Economic Area ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Sectional Analysis ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background In 2017, new regulations in England introduced upfront charging for non-urgent care within the National Health Service (NHS). Individuals from outside the European Economic Area who have not paid the immigration surcharge are chargeable for NHS care at 150% of cost. Methods A freedom of information (FOI) request was sent to 135 acute non-specialist NHS trusts in England to create a database of overseas visitors charges. This was analysed using multiple linear regression to explore the relationship between sex, age, nationality, ethnicity, urgency and the cost of healthcare. Results Of 135 acute non-specialist trusts in England 64 replied, providing a data set of 13 484 patients. Women were found to be invoiced higher amounts than men (P = 0.002). Patients were more likely to be women (63 versus 37% men), and within this group, almost half of patients were of reproductive age, with 47.9% (3165) aged 16–40 years old. Only seven trusts supplied data on urgency, and within these trusts the urgency of treatment was significantly related to cost, with the most urgent (immediately necessary) treatment costing the most (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusion This research reflects that that migrant women, and particularly undocumented women, are disproportionately impacted by the NHS charging policies in England.

Private Health Care for Canada: North of the Border, an Idea Whose Time Shouldn't Come?

1998 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ted Schrecker
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Care ◽  
The United States ◽  
Canadian Medical Association Journal ◽  
Private Health Care ◽  
Publicly Funded ◽  
Cost Of Health Care ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Permanent Residents ◽  
Universal Health

Toronto physician Brian Goldman had thought about “joining the camp that favours private health care for Canada.” Writing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, he tells us that he changed his mind after one of his cats experienced a series of illnesses and misadventures that resulted in a Can$3,101 medical bill. “I’m just glad,” he says, “that the cost of health care never entered my deliberations.”’Canadian citizens and permanent residents are similarly free from most worries about the direct costs of their own medical care, and have been for more than a generation. This reflects a fundamental difference between the Canadian and United States contexts for health policy. Since the failure of President Clinton's first-term efforts to provide something approximating universal health insurance, reforms to the existing regime of providing and financing health care in the United States have been incremental, and primarily responsive to the changing nature of the health care marketplace. In Canada, universal publicly funded first-dollar coverage for most physicians’ and hospitals’ services has been a reality since the early 1970s.

scholarly journals Socio-economic and demographic factors associated with reproductive and child health preventive care in Mozambique: a cross-sectional study

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chanvo Daca ◽  
Miguel San Sebastian ◽  
Carlos Arnaldo ◽  
Barbara Schumann
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Modern Contraceptives ◽  
Reproductive And Child Health ◽  
Universal Health ◽  
And Child Health

Abstract Background Reproductive and child health interventions are essential to improving population health in Africa. In Mozambique, although some progress on reproductive and child health has been made, knowledge of social inequalities in health and health care is lacking. Objective To investigate socio-economic and demographic inequalities in reproductive and child preventive health care as a way to monitor progress towards universal health coverage. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted, using data collected from the 2015 Immunization, AIDS and Malaria Indicators Survey (IMASIDA) in Mozambique. The sample included 6946 women aged 15 to 49 years. Outcomes variables were the use of insecticide treated nets (ITN) for children under 5 years, full child immunization and modern contraception use, while independent variables included age, marital status, place of residence, region, education, occupation, and household wealth index. Prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated by log binomial regression to assess the relationship between the socio-economic and demographic characteristics and the three outcomes of interest. Results The percentage of mothers with at least one child under 5 years that did not use ITN was 51.01, 46.25% of women had children aged 1 to 4 years who were not fully immunized, and 74.28% of women were not using modern contraceptives. Non-educated mothers (PR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.16–1.51) and those living in the Southern region (PR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.17–1.59) had higher risk of not using ITN, while the poorest quintile (PR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.04–1.71) was more likely to have children who were not fully immunized. Similarly, non-educated women (PR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.10–1.25), non-working women (PR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.04–1.16), and those in the poorest quintile (PR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.04–1.24) had a higher risk of not using modern contraceptives. Conclusion Our study showed a low rate of ITN utilization, immunization coverage of children, and modern contraceptive use among women of reproductive age. Several socio-economic and demographics factors (region, education, occupation, and wealth) were associated with these preventive measures. We recommend an equity-oriented resource allocation across regions, knowledge dissemination on the importance of ITN and contraceptives use, and an expansion of immunization services to reach socio-economically disadvantaged families in order to achieve universal health coverage in Mozambique.

The Cost of Health Care — Highlights from a Discussion about Economics and Reform

2009 ◽  
Vol 361 (15) ◽  
pp. 1421-1423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atul A. Gawande ◽  
Elliott S. Fisher ◽  
Jonathan Gruber ◽  
Meredith B. Rosenthal
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cost Of Health Care ◽  
The Cost

Universal Health Coverage

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joia S. Mukherjee
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Universal Health Coverage ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Quality Health Care ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Quality Health ◽  
The Right ◽  
Universal Health

This chapter explores the seminal topic of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), an objective within the Sustainable Development goals. It reviews the theory and definitions that shape the current conversation on UHC. The movement from selective primary health care to UHC demonstrates a global commitment to the progressive realization of the right to health. However, access to UHC is limited by barriers to care, inadequate provision of care, and poor-quality services. To deliver UHC, it is critical to align inputs in the health system with the burden of disease. Quality of care must also be improved. Steady, sufficient financing is needed to achieve the laudable goal of UHC.This chapter highlights some important steps taken by countries to expand access to quality health care. Finally, the chapter investigates the theory and practice behind a morbidity-based approach to strengthening health systems and achieving UHC.

scholarly journals 20.F. Workshop: Dental care – coverage and access across countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
North America ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Universal Health Coverage ◽  
Dental Care ◽  
Financial Protection ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Universal Health

Abstract Oral health is a central element of general health with significant impact in terms of pain, suffering, impairment of function and reduced quality of life. Although most oral disease can be prevented by health promotion strategies and routine access to primary oral health care, the GBD study 2017 estimated that oral diseases affect over 3.5 billion people worldwide (Watt et al, 2019). Given the importance of oral health and its potential contribution to achieving universal health coverage (UHC), it has received increased attention in public health debates in recent years. However, little is known about the large variations across countries in terms of service delivery, coverage and financing of oral health. There is a lack of international comparison and understanding of who delivers oral health services, how much is devoted to oral health care and who funds the costs for which type of treatment (Eaton et al., 2019). Yet, these aspects are central for understanding the scope for improvement regarding financial protection against costs of dental care and equal access to services in each country. This workshop aims to present the comparative research on dental care coverage in Europe, North America and Australia led by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. Three presentations will look at dental care coverage using different methods and approaches. They will compare how well the population is covered for dental care especially within Europe and North America considering the health systems design and expenditure level on dental care, using the WHO coverage cube as analytical framework. The first presentation shows results of a cross-country Health Systems in Transition (HiT) review on dental care. It provides a comparative review and analysis of financing, coverage and access in 31 European countries, describing the main trends also in the provision of dental care. The second presentation compares dental care coverage in eight jurisdictions (Australia (New South Wales), Canada (Alberta), England, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the United States) with a particular focus on older adults. The third presentation uses a vignette approach to map the extent of coverage of dental services offered by statutory systems (social insurance, compulsory insurance, NHS) in selected countries in Europe and North America. This workshop provides the opportunity of a focussed discussion on coverage of dental care, which is often neglected in the discussion on access to health services and universal health coverage. The objectives of the workshop are to discuss the oral health systems in an international comparative setting and to draw lessons on best practices and coverage design. The World Conference on Public Health is hence a good opportunity for this workshop that contributes to frame the discussion on oral health systems in a global perspective. Key messages There is large degree of variation in the extent to which the costs of dental care are covered by the statutory systems worldwide with implications for oral health outcomes and financial protection. There is a need for a more systematic collection of oral health indicators to make analysis of reliable and comparable oral health data possible.

scholarly journals Maintaining fair and efficient health care during the COVID-19 pandemic: Theoretical context and practical implications

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charalampos Milionis ◽  
Maria Ntzigani ◽  
Stella Olga Milioni ◽  
Ioannis Ilias
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Maximum Benefit ◽  
Community Health Systems ◽  
Health Care Efficiency ◽  
Universal Health ◽  
Practical Implications

Coronavirus disease 2019 is a respiratory infection that has evolved to a pandemic with an enormous burden both on human life and health care. States throughout the world have pursued strategies to restrict the transmission of the virus in the community. Health systems have a crucial dual role as they are at the frontline of the fight against the pathogen and at the same time they must continue to offer emergency and routine health services. The provision of health care in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic finds certain barriers. The simultaneous protection of both universal health coverage and health care efficiency is a difficult task due to conflicting challenges of these two goals. Key actions need to be decided and implemented in the fields of health policy, operation of health services, and clinical interaction between health personnel and patients, so that health care continues to perform its mission in a sustainable manner. As the scientific community prepares for the widespread production and application of effective protective and therapeutic agents against COVID-19, it is vital for the general population to remain safe and for the health systems to survive. Allocation of resources and priority setting need to be applied fairly and efficiently for the achievement of the maximum benefit.

scholarly journals An ecological study on the association between universal health service coverage index, health expenditures, and early childhood caries

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan ◽  
◽  
Maha El Tantawi ◽  
Jorma I. Virtanen ◽  
Carlos Alberto Feldens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Linear Regression ◽  
Health Expenditure ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Global Prevalence ◽  
Independent Variable ◽  
Service Coverage ◽  
Universal Health ◽  
Childhood Caries

Abstract Background Universal health care (UHC) may assist families whose children are most prone to early childhood caries (ECC) in accessing dental treatment and prevention. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between UHC, health expenditure and the global prevalence of ECC. Methods Health expenditure as percentage of gross domestic product, UHC service coverage index, and the percentage of 3–5-year-old children with ECC were compared among countries with various income levels using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Three linear regression models were developed, and each was adjusted for the country income level with the prevalence of ECC in 3–5-year-old children being the dependent variable. In model 1, UHC service coverage index was the independent variable whereas in model 2, the independent variable was the health expenditure as percentage of GDP. Model 3 included both independent variables together. Regression coefficients (B), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), P values, and partial eta squared (ƞ2) as measure of effect size were calculated. Results Linear regression including both independent factors revealed that health expenditure as percentage of GDP (P < 0.0001) was significantly associated with the percentage of ECC in 3–5-year-old children while UHC service coverage index was not significantly associated with the prevalence of ECC (P = 0.05). Every 1% increase in GDP allocated to health expenditure was associated with a 3.7% lower percentage of children with ECC (B = − 3.71, 95% CI: − 5.51, − 1.91). UHC service coverage index was not associated with the percentage of children with ECC (B = 0.61, 95% CI: − 0.01, 1.23). The impact of health expenditure on the prevalence of ECC was stronger than that of UHC coverage on the prevalence of ECC (ƞ2 = 0.18 vs. 0.05). Conclusions Higher expenditure on health care may be associated with lower prevalence of ECC and may be a more viable approach to reducing early childhood oral health disparities than UHC alone. The findings suggest that currently, UHC is weakly associated with lower global prevalence of ECC.

scholarly journals The situation of nursing education in Latin America and the Caribbean towards universal health

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Helena De Bortoli Cassiani ◽  
Lynda Law Wilson ◽  
Sabrina de Souza Elias Mikael ◽  
Laura Morán Peña ◽  
Rosa Amarilis Zarate Grajales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Nursing Education ◽  
Clinical Decision Making ◽  
Clinical Experiences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Universal Health

Objective: to assess the situation of nursing education and to analyze the extent to which baccalaureate level nursing education programs in Latin America and the Caribbean are preparing graduates to contribute to the achievement of Universal Health. Method: quantitative, descriptive/exploratory, cross-sectional study carried out in 25 countries. Results: a total of 246 nursing schools participated in the study. Faculty with doctoral level degrees totaled 31.3%, without Brazil this is reduced to 8.3%. The ratio of clinical experiences in primary health care services to hospital-based services was 0.63, indicating that students receive more clinical experiences in hospital settings. The results suggested a need for improvement in internet access; information technology; accessibility for the disabled; program, faculty and student evaluation; and teaching/learning methods. Conclusion: there is heterogeneity in nursing education in Latin America and the Caribbean. The nursing curricula generally includes the principles and values of Universal Health and primary health care, as well as those principles underpinning transformative education modalities such as critical and complex thinking development, problem-solving, evidence-based clinical decision-making, and lifelong learning. However, there is a need to promote a paradigm shift in nursing education to include more training in primary health care.

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