Table 1. Country Demographics and Health Insurance System as of 2020 .
| Thailand | Hong Kong | United Kingdom | Italy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population, million | 69.80 | 7.50 | 67.20 | 59.60 |
| GDP, million USD | 501 644 | 346 585 | 2 707 743 | 1 886 445 |
| GDP per capita, USD | 7187 | 46 324 | 40 285 | 31 676 |
| Total healthcare expenditure per capita, USD | 296 | 3250 | 5268 | 3819 |
| Healthcare expenditure, % of GDP | 3.8%a | 6.1% | 9.8% | 8.9% |
| Pharmaceutical expenditure, % of total healthcare spending | 55.5%b | 10.6% | 11.5%a | 18.0%a |
| Public healthcare spending per capita, USD (% of total healthcare expenditure) | 216 (73.0%) | 1740 (53.5%) | 4306 (81.7%) | 2914 (76.3%) |
| National health insurance system | NHSO | Public Healthcare System | NHS | SSN |
| Healthcare coverage scheme | - UHC - SSS - CSMBS |
- UHC - CSSA |
UHC | UHC |
| Health benefits packages | - Healthcare services: outpatient, inpatient, health promotion and disease prevention, high-cost healthcare services - HIV infection care - Chronic kidney disease care - Prevention of chronic diseases in community-based care - Long-term care for dependent patients - Primary care cluster |
- Pharmaceuticals - Inpatient care - Preventive medicine - Outpatient specialist care - Maternity care - Home care - Primary care - Hospice care |
- Pharmaceuticals - Inpatient and outpatient hospital care - Preventive services - Maternity care - Physician services - Clinically necessary dental care - Some eyes care - Mental healthcare - Palliative care - Some long-term care - Rehabilitation - Home visits by community-based nurses - Wheelchairs, hearing aids, and other assistive devices |
- Pharmaceuticals - Inpatient care - Preventive medicine - Outpatient specialist care - Maternity care - Home care - Primary care - Hospice care |
| Classifications of pharmaceutical benefits | - List A: Standard medicines for preventing and treating common health problems - List B: Alternative medicines to List A medicines - List C: Medicines prescribed in specialty diseases - List D: Medicines with many indications that are likely to be misused - List E1: Medicines for special programs proposed and responsible by government organizations - List E2: Very high-cost medicines for specific groups of patients |
- General drug - Special drug - Self-financed items drug with Safety Net - Self-financed items drug without Safety Net |
- Prescription-only medicine - Pharmacy - General sales list - Black-listed - Selected list |
- Class A: lifesaving drugs and treatments for chronic conditions - Class H: drugs delivered only in a hospital setting - Class C: non-reimbursable drugs - Class C (non negotiated): drugs identified as innovative status covered by Fund for innovative oncological and non-oncological medicines |
| Cost sharing of pharmaceutical benefits | None | - General drugs & special drugs: full coverage by public healthcare system - Self-financed drugs with safety net cost sharing by patients <20% depending on household income - Self-financed drugs without safety net: 100% out of pocket |
Copayment of US$ 12.50 per outpatient prescription - People who are exempt from prescription drug copayments include: - Children aged 15 and under - Full-time students aged 16 to 18 - People aged 60 or older - People with low incomes - Pregnant women and women who have given birth in the past 12 months - People with cancer and certain other long-term conditions or disabilities |
Reimbursable - Tier 1 (Class A): prescription fee for several regions - Tier 3 (Class H): no cost sharing Non-reimbursable - Tier 2 (Class C): 100% out of pocket - Class C (non negotiated): no cost sharing |
| Reimbursement decision making system | Centralized decision making | Centralized decision making | Decentralized decision making across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland | Decentralized decision making |
| HTA body | HITAP | DAC | NICE | AIFA |
| References | 62-64 | 50,62,65,66 | 62,65,67,68 | 62,65,69,70 |
Abbreviations: AIFA, Agenzia Italiana del farmaco (Italian Medicines Agency); CSMBS, Civil Servant Medical Benefit Scheme; CSSA, Comprehensive Social Security Assistance; DAC, Drug Advisory Committee; GDP, gross domestic product; HITAP, Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program; NHS, National Health Service; NHSO, National Health Security Office; SSN, Servizio sanitario nazionale (Italian National Health Service); SSS, Social Security Scheme; NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; UHC, universal health coverage; USD, United States dollar; HTA, Health technology assessment.
Costs are presented in 2020 USD to ease comparison.
a Data as of 2019.
b Data as of 2014.