Universal Health Coverage in the Philippines : Progress on Financial Protection Goals

Providing protection against the financial risk of high out-of-pocket health spending is one of the main goals of the Philippines’ health strategy. Yet, as this paper shows using eight household surveys, health spending increased by 150 percent (re...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors:	Bredenkamp, Caryn, Buisman, Leander R.
Format:	Working Paper
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2015
Subjects:	POVERTY THRESHOLD HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS LIVING STANDARDS HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS MEDICAL CONDITIONS FINANCING INFORMAL SECTOR ANTENATAL CARE INCOME HEALTH CARE UTILIZATION PREVENTION HEALTH EXPENDITURES FINANCIAL INTEREST FEE-FOR-SERVICE PUBLIC SECTOR HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS HEALTH ECONOMICS PRIMARY CARE COST-EFFECTIVENESS HEALTH INSURANCE MONITORING HEALTH CARE FINANCIAL PROTECTION CERVICAL CANCER HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS HEALTH CARE FACILITIES INCENTIVES HEALTH NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE POOR PEOPLE POLICY DISCUSSIONS HEALTH MAINTENANCE PRIVATE INSURANCE BREAST CANCER PROVISION OF SERVICES POCKET PAYMENTS CITIES HYPERTENSION MEASURES HEALTH FACILITIES HEALTH CARE DEMAND POVERTY REDUCTION KNOWLEDGE CAPITATION DEMAND FOR HEALTH CARE PHARMACIES COSTS PATIENT PATIENTS POOR FAMILIES HEALTH COSTS HEALTH SYSTEMS PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE MEDICAL CARE HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS TUBERCULOSIS HEALTH ORGANIZATION HOSPITAL SERVICES SCREENING OUTPATIENT SERVICES INSURANCE COVERAGE PUBLIC INSURANCE PUBLIC HOSPITAL SERVICES HMO RABIES HEALTH SPENDING FINANCIAL RISK PROTECTION EQUITY CARE INSTITUTIONS WORKERS SURGERY CONTRACEPTIVES MEDICAL EXPENDITURE MEDICAL GOODS HEALTH DELIVERY POVERTY MEASUREMENT CARE HEALTH POLICY MEDICAL SERVICES HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION DEMAND FAMILY INCOME EXPENDITURES INCOME COUNTRIES PRIVATE SECTOR MEASUREMENT NUTRITION HOUSEHOLD BUDGET CAPITATION PAYMENT HEALTH COVERAGE SOCIAL WELFARE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE NATIONAL HEALTH PLASTIC SURGERY HEALTH SYSTEM INSURANCE INSURANCE PREMIUMS OUTPATIENT CARE TARGETING COMMUNICABLE DISEASES CHILDREN EVALUATION PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR RISK INPATIENT CARE DEMAND FOR HEALTH POVERTY HEALTH EXPENDITURE ILLNESS INCIDENCE REHABILITATION POPULATION HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM POLICY RESEARCH FINANCIAL RISK POOR FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES STRATEGY FEES FAMILIES MEDICINES HOSPITALS DENTAL SERVICES HEALTH SERVICES IMPLEMENTATION HEALTH STRATEGY PROVIDER PAYMENT PUBLIC HOSPITAL INCOME GROUPS POOR HOUSEHOLDS
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2015/05/24450100/universal-health-coverage-philippines-progress-financial-protection-goals http://hdl.handle.net/10986/21990

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Summary:	Providing protection against the financial risk of high out-of-pocket health spending is one of the main goals of the Philippines’ health strategy. Yet, as this paper shows using eight household surveys, health spending increased by 150 percent (real) from 2000 to 2012, with the sharpest increases occurring in recent years. The main driver of health spending is medicines, accounting for almost two-thirds of total health spending, and as much as three-quarters among the poor. The incidence of catastrophic payments has trebled since 2000, from 2.5 to 7.7 percent. The percentage of people impoverished by health spending has also increased and, in 2012, out-of-pocket spending on health added 1.5 percentage points to the poverty rate. In light of these findings, recent policies to enhance financial risk protection—such as the expansion of government-subsidized health insurance for the poor, a deepening of the benefit package, and provider payment reform aimed at cost-containment—are to be applauded. Between 2008 and 2013, self-reported health insurance coverage increased across all quintiles and its distribution became more pro-poor. To speed progress toward financial protection goals, possible quick wins could include issuing health insurance cards for the poor to increase awareness of coverage and introducing a fixed copayment for non-poor members. Over the medium term, complementary investments in supply-side readiness are essential. Finally, an in-depth analysis of the pharmaceutical sector would help to shed light on why medicines continue to place such a large financial burden on households.

Universal Health Coverage in the Philippines : Progress on Financial Protection Goals

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