Compulsory health insurance as an element of the population’s social security system

Abstract

The subject of the study is the main theoretical and practical issues of the implementation and effective functioning of compulsory health insurance as an important element of the social security system. The purpose of the article is to study the theoretical postulates that reveal the essence and peculiarities of the functioning of mandatory health insurance, as well as to clarify the problems of its implementation in Ukraine. The hypothesis of the study is put forward that the introduction of a new financial mechanism by the state - mandatory health insurance - will allow the Ukrainian economy to use the potential of market institutions more in the formation of budget resources and will lead to a significant strengthening of the social security system of the population. Methods of the research. In accordance with the logic of the scientific search, the article used theoretical analysis, including consideration of individual traits and identification of new characteristics of problems, comparison, mathematical and statistical methods. Highlighting unexplored parts of the general problem. Compulsory health insurance has not been introduced in Ukraine, which indicates the incompleteness of the medical reform started in 2017. Research result. It is shown that in the hierarchy of human needs, safety occupies a leading place. It means protection of health, living and working conditions and is the quintessence of social security of the population. In global practice, there are various models of health care organization. It has been proven that one of the most requested is mandatory health insurance. It provides financing of the volume of medical services at the level of social guarantees of the state; and the size of the insurance premium is not related to the amount of medical care and the state of health of the insured. Voluntary health insurance is an alternative to compulsory health insurance. It is private and inferior to compulsory health insurance in terms of the share of the population covered and the amount of resources involved. It has been proven that the compulsory health insurance is an important tool for the country's economic development. It is proposed to consider the compulsory health insurance not only as an element of the financial system, which has a powerful investment sense, but also as a component of the social protection system of the population, which is responsible for maintaining the social security of the population. The main features and advantages of compulsory health insurance are named. A balanced approach to the further reform of the health care system in Ukraine and the implementation of the commitments made by Ukraine for joining the EU requires finding ways to attract funds to the industry. One of them, and the most effective one, should be the introduction of the compulsory health insurance in Ukraine. Sphere of application. The bodies of the financial system and social security system, local authorities. Conclusions. The compulsory health insurance, which is used in the world, has demonstrated itself as a powerful tool for economic development. The compulsory health insurance should be considered not only as an element of the financial system, which has a strong investment sense, but also as a component of the social protection system of the population, which is responsible for maintaining the social security of the population in the state. Ukraine needs to continue political and economic reforms, resolutely fight corruption, actively implement privatization, deepen the reform of the health care system, including the introduction of mandatory health insurance.

Keywords

• health care
• health insurance
• health care models
• social security
• budget expenditures