Romania’s Social Democrats secured Senate committee backing to exempt vulnerable groups—including mothers on parental leave, war veterans, disabled persons, former political prisoners, and religious members—from social health insurance contributions (CASS). Opposition...
Togo expands Universal Health Insurance to self-employed and informal workers, enabling thousands previously excluded to access health coverage through flexible payments, covering care for up to six dependents, and boosting financial inclusion via a new digital...
Since October 2022, the National Health Security Office has incorporated pharmacy services for 16 common conditions, including headache, dizziness, pain in joint, muscle pain, fever, cough, sore throat, stomachache, diarrhoea, constipation, dysuria, vaginal discharge,...
A 2023–25 IHI–LSHTM study urges reform of Tanzania’s provider payment mechanisms as UHI rolls out. NHIF’s fee-for-service is reliable but paperwork-heavy, while capitation faces delays and low rates. Researchers call for fair, timely, and simple systems to boost...
Zimbabwe has finalised its National Health Insurance Bill, set for Cabinet approval and rollout by 2026. Funded through earmarked taxes, it guarantees full primary care coverage and scales up at higher levels, aiming to reduce out-of-pocket costs and ensure equitable,...
Tajikistan’s UHC pilot in Sughd is testing health financing reforms to cut out-of-pocket costs, pool budgets, and expand primary care access. Backed by WHO, EU, and UHC-P, the initiative aims to reduce inequities, strengthen services, and lay the foundation for...
Nepal will double health insurance support for eight critical illnesses to Rs 200,000 from July, also expanding enrollment, funding, and including compulsory insurance for government employees for greater program sustainabilityNepal’s Minister for Health and...
Croatia expanded health insurance exemptions, raised sickness benefits, reformed healthcare staff rules by abolishing internships, tightened misconduct standards, and passed a law requiring a master’s degree for speech therapists, with two years to comply. The...
Uruguay's Minister of Public Health is proposing the inclusion of new benefits in the National Resources Fund basket. These include medical equipment and medicines for heart disease and cancer treatments. In June 2025, the Minister of Public Health, Cristina...
The Nepalese government plans to restructure the national health insurance program to improve its effectiveness and sustainability, emphasizing stricter enforcement of the Health Insurance Act and raising the benefit cap for insured individuals. With Rs 10 billion...
The Danish Health Authority is developing proposals for a National Health Plan, standardized general practice services, and chronic disease care pathways to improve access, quality, and coordination. The reforms, involving stakeholders, start in 2027 for a more...
Tajikistan’s primary health care, based on a family medicine model, faces low per-capita funding, outdated financing, and persistent informal payments. To strengthen it, the country should pilot per-capita payment systems, update the benefits package for better...
Australia's healthcare system faces significant challenges, including financial barriers to accessing care, inadequate support for chronic conditions, and underfunded mental health and dental services. Urgent reforms are needed to ensure the system can effectively...
The Economic Survey 2024-25 highlights the effectiveness of the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme in reducing Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) by saving over ₹1.25 lakh crore and significantly increasing government health spending, which rose from 29.0% to 48.0% between...
Despite global advances toward Universal Health Coverage, financial protection remains a challenge in low- and middle-income countries, with out-of-pocket pharmaceutical costs driving poverty and inequality in Georgia. The study found that while Georgia’s Chronic...
