Selected country experiences
Cambodia
In recent years, a number of health reform proposals have been adopted or pioneered in Cambodia, including official user fees, sub-contracting government health service delivery to non-government providers, and community based health insurance. These health reform measures have acted to reduce the burden of health costs on the poor and to improve access.
Fee exemption systems have, though, failed to protect the poor, who have largely been excluded from access to health care due to cost and other barriers. Now, a new model of health financing and relief for the poor has emerged, called health equity funding. Health equity funding has been particularly successful in reducing financial barriers and increasing utilization of government services. Health equity funding appears to be an efficient and effective way to overcome inequalities and extend health service coverage.
Related documents
- Study of financial access to health services for the poor in Cambodia
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Cambodia Strategic Framework for Health Financing 2008-2015
The Strategic Framework for Health Financing 2008-2015 puts the various existing forms of health financing in Cambodia under a single coherent plan. -
Providing access to health services for the poor: Health equity in Cambodia
by Peter Leslie Annear, Maryam Bigdeli, Ros Chhun Eang and Bart Jacobs (2008) in "Health and social protection: experiences from Cambodia, China and LAO PDR", edited by Bruno Meessen, Xiaomei Pei, Bart Criel and Gerald Bloom.
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