مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - FINANCING OF HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN TURKEY AND ITS COMPARISON WITH THAT OF ENGLAND

Abstract :

Health has been regarded as the most precious asset of humanbeings in life. The costs of diagnosis, treatment, medical examination, tests, surgeries and other medical services procured from health care providers constitute health expenditures. States get obliged to generate new health policies and implement funding mechanisms in accordance with their current socioeconomic circumstances in order to meet the continuously increasing health care demands and costs. Social health insurance, taxation, out-of-pocket payments and private health insurances are assumed as the major health financing schemes to subsidize the health care expenditures in the whole world. In Turkey, a Bismarck Model based General Health Insurance scheme provides health coverage for the entire population. In this paper, health insurance and the main structure of Turkish and English health financing systems are examined. By making a comparison between Turkey’s current health financing system with the corresponding health implementations in England, it is intended to put forward some suggestions and arguments which aim to enhance the efficiency of health care services and financing in Turkey.