Goals of Universal Health Coverage

Abstract

Defines universal health coverage (UHC) as consisting of three interrelated components: (1) the full spectrum of health services according to need; (2) financial protection from direct payment for health services when consumed; and (3) coverage for the entire population. Countries as diverse as Brazil, France, Japan, Thailand, and Turkey have achieved universal population coverage, and are showing how UHC programs can improve the health and welfare of their citizens, while laying the foundation for economic growth and competitiveness grounded in the principles of equity and sustainability. Even after a government has adopted UHC as a goal, many obstacles remain, such as technological innovation and entrenched interest groups which often stand in the way of reforms that threaten to overturn inequitable or ineffective arrangements. Health services themselves are highly susceptible to market failure, owing to difficulties in measuring and accounting for the use of resources and these resources’ impact on quality, safety, and effectiveness.

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