Malta has a tax-based national health system that provides nearly universal access to its citizens, with significant out-of-pocket spending accounting for 30% of total health expenditure in 2021. The country is focused on enhancing healthcare infrastructure and...
Luxembourg: health system review 2024
Luxembourg's health system, based on statutory health insurance and public financing, provides universal access and low out-of-pocket expenses, while facing challenges in workforce shortages that the government is addressing through domestic training programs and...

WHO webinar on key findings of the Global Health Expenditure Report 2024
WHO has updated the Global Health Expenditure Database (GHED) for over 190 Member States and is hosting a Webinar on February 4, 2025, to discuss the key findings of the 2024 Global Health Expenditure Report launched in December 2024. The World Health Organization...
Socio-economic factors in healthcare allocation: Insights from Italy’s 2023 NHS reform
The article "The Role of Socio-Economic Determinants in the Interregional Allocation of Healthcare Resources: Some Insights from the 2023 Reform in the Italian NHS" by Roberto Fantozzi, Stefania Gabriele, and Alberto Zanardi, published in the Journal of Health Policy,...

Paris to host 11th IRDES-LIRAES workshop on applied health economics and policy evaluation
The 11th IRDES-LIRAES Workshop on Applied Health Economics and Policy Evaluation will be held in Paris on June 16-17, 2025. Experts will discuss healthcare equity, financing, and policy evaluation. The event includes presentations, discussions, and networking....

Containing costs and nudging doctors and hospitals towards policy goals in Japan
Japan controls health care costs with a fee schedule setting prices and billing conditions. The fee schedule is revised biennially to align with policy goals. Annual price cuts for pharmaceuticals and devices create fiscal space for priority areas. This approach could...
Equity in healthcare financing: A review of evidence
The research paper "Equity in Healthcare Financing: A Review of Evidence", authored by Emilia Luyten and Sandy Tubeuf and published in the Journal of Health Policy (2024), examines the redistributive effects of various healthcare financing mechanisms on income...
Health systems in action: United Kingdom
Key Insights The United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) provides universal health coverage, primarily funded through general taxation, ensuring access to comprehensive care based on need rather than the ability to pay. Health and social care responsibilities...

PhilHealth benefits now cover outpatient emergency services
The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has introduced the Outpatient Emergency Care Benefit (OECB) package, effective January 1, following PhilHealth Circular No. 2024-0033. This initiative allows coverage for emergency procedures and services for patients...
South Korea’s healthcare expenditure: a comprehensive study of public and private spending across health conditions, demographics, and payer types (2011–2020)
South Korea's healthcare expenditure rose significantly from $45.6 billion in 2011 to $76.9 billion in 2020, accounting for 9.3% of GDP. Despite universal health coverage, out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses remain high, particularly for women and the elderly. Public...
The other health care system in Germany: care for people without health insurance
A study identified 128 institutions in Germany providing healthcare to uninsured individuals. The care offered was varied and often reliant on private donations, with specialties including general medicine, gynecology, and psychiatry, but overall access was uneven and...
Health Systems in Action Insights – Uzbekistan
Key Points Uzbekistan's health system currently provides a basic set of publicly financed health services, but it does not cover all essential services or medicines. The Ministry of Health oversees the organization and management of the largely public health services,...

Minister of Health of Belarus welcomed Belarusbank’s investment into renewal of ambulance vehicles in rural areas and small towns
Belarusbank and the Ministry of Health have signed an agreement to launch a new social initiative titled "Affordable Medical Care with Belarusbank." This project aims to modernize the fleet of medical vehicles serving healthcare institutions in rural areas and small...

Assessment on Reimbursement of Expensive Medicines in Netherlands: Study Highlights Public Opinion on Coverage Lock Policy
Amsterdam, January 8, 2025 – A new study published in PLOS ONE offers critical insights into public opinion regarding the reimbursement of expensive medicines in the Netherlands. The research, led by Féline E. V. Scheijmans and her team from Utrecht University,...
Situation Analysis by WHO: Primary Health Care Financing in Ukraine
On 16 October 2023, WHO issued a report titled "Primary health care financing in Ukraine: a situation analysis and policy considerations". As reported by WHO-Europe, this report delves into the current state of primary health care (PHC) financing in Ukraine and...
