Question

Consider health care coverage that other countries provide to their citizens and how much access is provided to their citizens. If these programs of coverage work so well in providing access of care, why do these countries often have additional pay-for-service or private insurance options offered?

Answer 1

Healthcare coverages do not cover all the people for everything. Healthcare coverage basically means access for all to healthcare. In countries where there is Government (public) covered health system, they often have additional pay-for-service or private insurance options offered to overcome certain disadvantage of healthcare coverage such as :

1) Long waiting time for certain elective procedures: In Universal healthcare system, there is generally long waiting time. Patients who want quicker access to non-emergency service can co-pay to avoid long waiting time.

2) Consumer choice of insurer: With universal coverage, consumer is denied the option of choosing. Governmet offers pay for service or private insurance so that consumer who want superior services, or is dissatisfies with the services can opt for different provider

3) To incentivise people to stay healthy: So that peaple dont overused the services. With co-pay or pay for service people are incentivised to stay healthy by sharing the cost

4) Increased efficiency among providers and other benefits of competition: Hospitals and healthcare professionals are strong incentivised to operate efficiently.