The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Trends in out-of-pocket payments for health care in Kyrgyzstan, 2001-2007

Trends in out-of-pocket payments for health care in Kyrgyzstan, 2001-2007
Trends in out-of-pocket payments for health care in Kyrgyzstan, 2001-2007
Within the countries of the former Soviet Union, the Kyrgyz Republic has been a pioneer in reforming the system of health care finance. Since the introduction of its compulsory health insurance fund in 1997, the country has gradually moved from subsidizing the supply of services to subsidizing the purchase of services through the ‘single payer’ of the health insurance fund. In 2002 the government introduced a new co-payment for inpatients along with a basic benefit package. A key objective of the reforms has been to replace the burgeoning system of unofficial informal payments for health care with a transparent official co-payment, thereby reducing the financial burden of health care spending for the poor. This article investigates trends in out-of-pocket payments for health care using the results of a series of nationally representative household surveys conducted over the period 2001–2007, when the reforms were being rolled out. The analysis shows that there has been a significant improvement in financial access to health care amongst the population. The proportion paying state providers for consultations fell between 2004 and 2007. As a result of the introduction of co-payments for hospital care, fewer inpatients report making payments to medical personnel, but when they are made, payments are high, especially to surgeons and anaesthetists. However, although financial access for outpatient care has improved, the burden of health care payments amongst the poor remains significant.
informal payments, health financing, reform, kyrgyzstan
0268-1080
427-436
Falkingham, Jane
8df36615-1547-4a6d-ad55-aa9496e85519
Akkazieva, Baktygul
aaa2d3ad-0d59-41a6-a797-148c5aff8ce9
Baschieri, Angela
8512fd8e-0c0a-4741-acb6-5d05bee0b108
Falkingham, Jane
8df36615-1547-4a6d-ad55-aa9496e85519
Akkazieva, Baktygul
aaa2d3ad-0d59-41a6-a797-148c5aff8ce9
Baschieri, Angela
8512fd8e-0c0a-4741-acb6-5d05bee0b108

Falkingham, Jane, Akkazieva, Baktygul and Baschieri, Angela (2010) Trends in out-of-pocket payments for health care in Kyrgyzstan, 2001-2007. Health Policy and Planning, 25 (5), 427-436. (doi:10.1093/heapol/czq011). (PMID:20332252)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Within the countries of the former Soviet Union, the Kyrgyz Republic has been a pioneer in reforming the system of health care finance. Since the introduction of its compulsory health insurance fund in 1997, the country has gradually moved from subsidizing the supply of services to subsidizing the purchase of services through the ‘single payer’ of the health insurance fund. In 2002 the government introduced a new co-payment for inpatients along with a basic benefit package. A key objective of the reforms has been to replace the burgeoning system of unofficial informal payments for health care with a transparent official co-payment, thereby reducing the financial burden of health care spending for the poor. This article investigates trends in out-of-pocket payments for health care using the results of a series of nationally representative household surveys conducted over the period 2001–2007, when the reforms were being rolled out. The analysis shows that there has been a significant improvement in financial access to health care amongst the population. The proportion paying state providers for consultations fell between 2004 and 2007. As a result of the introduction of co-payments for hospital care, fewer inpatients report making payments to medical personnel, but when they are made, payments are high, especially to surgeons and anaesthetists. However, although financial access for outpatient care has improved, the burden of health care payments amongst the poor remains significant.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

e-pub ahead of print date: 23 March 2010
Published date: September 2010
Keywords: informal payments, health financing, reform, kyrgyzstan
Organisations: Social Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 155157
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/155157
ISSN: 0268-1080
PURE UUID: 72897bb8-ffd3-4c60-a8e8-11fc953c6f50
ORCID for Jane Falkingham: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7135-5875

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 27 May 2010 08:46
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:46

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Jane Falkingham ORCID iD
Author: Baktygul Akkazieva
Author: Angela Baschieri

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×