Universal Health Coverage: The New Face of Neoliberalism

Abstract

Health care services in India have undergone rapid transitions in the last two decades. While government health services have been shrinking and investments got squeezed, the private sector has been promoted as an efficient alternative. This has led to an increasing dependence of people on the private sector for seeking care and a regressive form of financing based on out-of-pocket spending has emerged. The 12th Plan tries to address some of these concerns through Universal Health Coverage. The author argues that while universal access to health is a noble goal, it may not be achieved if an insurance-based model of financing and a managed care approach based on private sector delivery is adopted. Such an approach may facilitate further consolidation of capital at the expense of people’s money. The author draws from international experience to argue that egalitarian and universal access to health care can be provided only if government health services are strengthened.