Thailand - Qualitative assessment of health equity among the elderly people in Thailand : utilization and financial protection

Thailand has succeeded in expanding coverage of publicly-funded and publicly-managed health insurance schemes, following the introduction of universal health coverage policy in 2001. Today, 100 percent of Thai citizens are statistically covered by one of the publicly-managed health insurance schemes, mainly the Universal Health Coverage scheme (UC), Social Security Scheme (SSS), Civil Servant Medical Benefits Scheme (CSMBS), and medical benefits for state enterprise employees. These arrangements have broadened access to health services, contributed to higher and more equitable patterns of utilization, and helped reduce the financial burden and risk of impoverishment associated with health care expenses. While Thailand’s achievement of universal health coverage is well noted, recent researches and studies have indicated that there are still gaps in health utilization and financial protection. A recent study by Thailand’s Health Insurance System Research Office (HISRO) shows that utilization of health services by patients of three main health insurance schemes combined increased markedly after age 45 for both out-patient care and in-patient care but later dropped during an advanced age. The objective of the study is to identify the gaps of accessing universal health coverage scheme’s care system by the elderly population, focusing on utilization and financial protection aspects.