Health coverage rates in the U.S. have reached a record high since the Affordable Care Act was enacted, yet many insured individuals still struggle with high healthcare costs, particularly among marginalized racial and ethnic groups. Surveys indicate that a...
Analysis the status and spatio-temporal characteristics of the synergistic development of China’s multi-level medical insurance system
The study examines the development and spatio-temporal evolution of China's multi-level medical insurance system (MMIS) from 2011 to 2020, highlighting improvements in the coupling coordination index (CCI) which rose from a moderate disorder to a well-coordinated...
Health insurance type, healthcare utilization and out-of-pocket expenditure in the face of COVID-19: Evidence from Thai national survey data
This study investigates whether the type of public health insurance affects outpatient healthcare utilization and out-of-pocket expenditure in Thailand before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings suggest that health insurance type primarily affects provider...
A retrospective study of insurance coverage status and economic cost of rare diseases in Hainan Province
Rare diseases in Hainan Province pose a significant economic burden, with a rising prevalence and limited data available. A study from 2019 to 2023 found that 83.01% of the 4,975 diagnosed patients were insured, yet total economic costs escalated from 34.26 million...

How Japan is building a resilient society through equitable healthcare
Japan's universal health insurance system, established in 1961, ensures equitable access to healthcare for all citizens, particularly as the country grapples with an aging population and rising healthcare costs. Recent policy updates aim to enhance efficiency and...

Singapore: New Digital Tool Simplifies Health Insurance Decisions
The Health Insurance Planner (HIP), introduced by Singapore's CPF Board and Ministry of Health, is a digital tool that helps citizens navigate and make informed decisions about their health insurance coverage by providing personalized insights into costs, benefits,...

Indians are quitting the safety net of health insurance; GST and high premiums are only part of the problem
In India, rising health insurance premiums and increased claim rejections are driving individuals to opt out of policies. Many feel overcharged and frustrated with inadequate coverage, exacerbated by taxes on premiums, leading to distrust in insurers and a search for...

Will Jamaica’s National Health Fund be transformed into a national insurance scheme?
The Minister for Health in Jamaica hints that the National Health Fund may be changed to a national insurance scheme. This evolution was proposed in the 2019 Green Paper on the subject.In August 2023, Dr Tufton (Jamaican Minister for Health) suggested that, in an...
Protective role of health insurance coverage in reducing under-five mortality in Ethiopia: Gompertz inverse-Gaussian shared frailty modelling
This study found a significant association between health insurance coverage and under-five mortality, revealing that children of uninsured mothers had a notably higher risk of mortality. Specifically, 96.46% of the children assessed were born to mothers without...

Update on Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY)
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...

Over 90% of China’s village clinics covered by basic medical insurance
Over 90% of village clinics in China are covered by basic medical insurance, with the government investing in upgrades and aiming to enhance grassroots healthcare by 2027 through integration and the use of artificial intelligence. More than 90% of village clinics in...

Use of PhilHealth’s excess funds legal, economically sound
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto defended the transfer of PHP 89.9 billion in excess funds from PhilHealth to the national treasury, asserting that it is legal, moral, and necessary to address the growing needs of the nation, while ensuring that no member contributions...

State Life builds digital, service capacity to expand universal health benefits to entire Pakistan
The State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan (SLIC) is committed to providing universal health insurance coverage to 180 million citizens. By offering comprehensive health services and integrating performance-linked funding, SLIC aims to enhance healthcare access...

PLFSS 2025: Thomas Fatôme details the financial challenges facing the French health insurance system
The Director General of the Caisse Nationale de l'Assurance Maladie presented the Social Security Financing Bill for 2025 to the French Senate: a slightly lower deficit (13.4 billion euros), and a national target for health insurance expenditure of +2.7%. Savings of...

Private health funds in Australia are gouging prices on insurance premiums despite warning from minister
Health Minister Mark Butler is urging an investigation into private health insurers for "product phoenixing," which involves closing existing policies and reopening similar ones at higher prices, thereby raising premiums without regulatory approval. Despite previous...