Can people afford to pay for health care? New evidence on financial protection in North Macedonia: summary

Overview

This review assesses the extent to which people in North Macedonia experience financial hardship when they use health services, including medicines. The analysis covers the period from 2006 to the present day, drawing on data from household budget surveys carried out annually between 2006 and 2018 by the State Statistical Office in North Macedonia, data on unmet need for health care up to 2019 and information on coverage policy up to 2021. It focuses on two indicators of financial protection: catastrophic health spending and impoverishing health spending. It also considers the presence of access barriers leading to unmet need for health and dental care.