Financing reforms for the Thai health card scheme

Abstract

The Thai health card scheme originated from a pilot study on community financing and primary health care in maternal and child health in 1983. The scheme later changed to one of voluntary health insurance and finally received a matching subsidy from the government. The coverage of the scheme is described by a U-curve, i.e. it started with 5% of the total population in 1987, declined to 3% in 1992, with an upturn to 14% in 1997. The upturn has been the result of concerns about universal coverage policy, together with reforms of fund management. The provincial fund is responsible for basic health, basic medical, referral, and accident and emergency services. The central fund takes 2.5% of the total fund to manage cross-boundary services and high cost care (a reinsurance policy). On average, the utilization rate of the voluntary health card was higher than that of the compulsory (social security) scheme. And amongst three variants of health cards, the voluntary health card holders used health services twice to three times more than the community and health volunteer card holders. Cost recovery was low, especially in the provinces with low coverage. In the province with highest coverage, cost recovery was as high as 90% of the non-labour recurrent cost. Only 10% of the budgeted fund for reinsurance was disbursed, implying considerable management inefficiency. The management information system as well as the management capacity of the Health Insurance Office should be strengthened. After comparing the health card with other insurance schemes in terms of coverage, cost recovery, utilization and management cost, it is recommended that this voluntary health insurance should be modified to be a compulsory insurance, with some other means of premium collection and minimal co-payment at the point of delivery.