Health insurance for the healthy? Voluntary health insurance in Sweden.
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Employment
/ statistics & numerical data
Female
Health Status
Humans
Income
/ statistics & numerical data
Insurance Coverage
/ statistics & numerical data
Insurance, Health
/ statistics & numerical data
Male
Middle Aged
Private Sector
Surveys and Questionnaires
Sweden
Access to healthcare
Health plans
Private health insurance
Private healthcare
Sweden
Voluntary health insurance
Journal
Health policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
ISSN: 1872-6054
Titre abrégé: Health Policy
Pays: Ireland
ID NLM: 8409431
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
08 2019
08 2019
Historique:
received:
04
03
2018
revised:
27
05
2019
accepted:
12
06
2019
pubmed:
14
7
2019
medline:
25
8
2020
entrez:
14
7
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
In Sweden, voluntary health insurance is held only by a very small part of the population, but uptake has grown rapidly since 2000. So far, little is known about who purchases this insurance and what the insurance plans contain. To provide a comprehensive description of the coverage and content of voluntary health insurance in Sweden. Data from a national survey (Riks-SOM 2016) were used to estimate insurance coverage in different population groups. Additionally, a qualitative content analysis of the voluntary health insurance plans from seven of the largest insurance companies in Sweden was conducted. Voluntary health insurance was found to be more common among high income-earners, individuals employed in the private sector, business owners, and white-collar workers. Insurance benefits varied from visiting a general practitioner to more specialised treatments like knee or hip surgery. Pre-existing medical conditions, emergency medicine, highly specialised care and ongoing chronic care was excluded from the insurance plans. Work-related factors such as employment sector, occupation and income appeared to be key determinants for VHI uptake in Sweden. Since the insurance plans included several restrictions, individuals with high care needs are excluded. Taken together, the results indicate that voluntary health insurance in Sweden provide benefits foremost for the healthy and wealthy.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
In Sweden, voluntary health insurance is held only by a very small part of the population, but uptake has grown rapidly since 2000. So far, little is known about who purchases this insurance and what the insurance plans contain.
AIM
To provide a comprehensive description of the coverage and content of voluntary health insurance in Sweden.
METHODS
Data from a national survey (Riks-SOM 2016) were used to estimate insurance coverage in different population groups. Additionally, a qualitative content analysis of the voluntary health insurance plans from seven of the largest insurance companies in Sweden was conducted.
RESULTS
Voluntary health insurance was found to be more common among high income-earners, individuals employed in the private sector, business owners, and white-collar workers. Insurance benefits varied from visiting a general practitioner to more specialised treatments like knee or hip surgery. Pre-existing medical conditions, emergency medicine, highly specialised care and ongoing chronic care was excluded from the insurance plans.
CONCLUSION
Work-related factors such as employment sector, occupation and income appeared to be key determinants for VHI uptake in Sweden. Since the insurance plans included several restrictions, individuals with high care needs are excluded. Taken together, the results indicate that voluntary health insurance in Sweden provide benefits foremost for the healthy and wealthy.
Identifiants
pubmed: 31300174
pii: S0168-8510(19)30154-X
doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2019.06.004
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Pagination
737-746Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.