The study assesses the experience of three Asian countries: China, Thailand, and Vietnam in the pursuit of universal health coverage (UHC) of their social health insurance schemes. It seeks to analyze a set of domains including membership fees, services, benefits, equity, among others, relative to the economic and political conditions of these countries as "push and pull" factors in achieving UHC.
This paper mainly utilizes empirical studies, assessment reports, international discussions and proceedings, and individual country plans of integrating, widening, and deepening health insurance coverage with the end goal of identifying comparative areas where the Philippines might be able to benchmark itself in its UHC quest. The study adopts the UHC cube of the World Health Organization as the framework for the review. It finally submits applicable recommendations that the Philippines may consider in advancing its plans toward universal health coverage.
