Health Insurance System in Turkey: A Conceptual Evaluation

Abstract

Health insurance systems can combine health insurance funds by bringing them together. This article aims to analyze the experiences of consolidating health insurance funds in Turkey and to make an evaluation on the subject. In this article, an evaluation has been made by examining different sources of information, including books, scientific articles, dissertations, reports and policy documents to find the most relevant documents on the subject. The findings show that improving equity in health financing and access to health care among different population groups is one of the main triggers for unifying health insurance funds. Challenges to consolidation of health insurance funds included resistance from groups benefiting from the better benefits package and concerns by workers and employers over increasing contribution rates. promoting equity in the financing of health services; reducing inequality in access to and utilization of health services; increase risk pooling; reduce administrative costs; have a greater chance of controlling total health expenditures. Increasing strategic purchasing has been cited as the main advantages of consolidating health insurance funds. Country experiences highlight the need for political commitment and credible economic growth to facilitate the implementation of consolidation of health insurance funds, to develop the aid package and to financially support the single national insurance scheme after unification.