HEALTH INSURANCE SYSTEM IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND WHAT EXISTS IN PAKISTAN: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Abstract

Introduction: It is essential to compare health insurance plans across the world in order to identify best practices and enhance the delivery of health insurance. With a comparison to Pakistan's health insurance system, this review seeks to better understand health insurance throughout the world and assist policymakers in raising quality and availability.

Material & Methods: To examine health insurance policies globally, a comprehensive review of the literature was carried out, incorporating information from official websites, and academic databases. The comparison of these results with Pakistan's health insurance system was the main objective. We looked for patterns and similarities in the policies of other nations, considering factors like accessibility, features, coverage, and exclusions. In order to identify discrepancies and possible areas where Pakistan's health insurance system could be strengthened, the final stage of the study comprised a thorough comparison of international and domestic health insurance plans.

Results: Private health insurance dominates in the US and the UK, but Norway's publicly funded system, supported by the Patients' Rights Act, provides complete coverage, including free healthcare services for children under sixteen while on the other hand in Pakistan, citizens have restricted access to medical treatments due to inadequate healthcare coverage provided by both the government and private sectors.

Conclusion: The Forbes statistics shows that 92.1% of Americans are covered by health insurance, indicating a comparatively high level of coverage in the US. On the other hand, Norway's government-funded healthcare system, which is backed by the Patients' Rights Act, guarantees healthcare services for all its residents. However, the grave situation in Pakistan, where a small fraction of the population is covered by health insurance programs. The study highlights the urgent need for improved medical coverage and access in the nation.