Table 3.

Key similarities of progress towards universal health coverage in BRICS countries

	Brazil	Russia	India	China	South Africa
Financing protection schemes available	SUS funded by tax and social contributions, private health plans	MHI, tax funding, private voluntary schemes	RSBY and state-government sponsored schemes in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan	URBHI, NRCMS, UEBHI	Private voluntary schemes (>100 schemes covering <8 million people), tax funding
Population coverage	SUS 100% (through taxes and social contributions); private health plans 25% in 2008, concentrated in the wealthiest regions	MHI 99%. Tax funding 100% for care not included in MHI benefit package and for care of the military and prisoners. Private voluntary schemes 8%	RSBY covers roughly 10% of Indians nationally, whereas the state-sponsored schemes cover considerably less	URBHI 92·9%, NRCMS 96·6%, UEBHI 92·4%	Voluntary schemes 17%, tax 83% (for inpatient and specialist care)
Benefits offered or included	For SUS there is no package or exclusions; it covers all types and levels of care, but there is rationing, and an emphasis on primary-level care. For private health plans benefits vary across many companies and contracts that offer basic to comprehensive benefits that vary largely according to premiums	For state medical benefit the package is comprehensive with exclusion of drug provision for outpatient care, which is available for some population groups only; MHI benefit package is a part of state (above). For private voluntary schemes there is a complementary and replacement state medical benefit package	RSBY covers access to tertiary care	Except heart surgery and lung and liver transplantations, most medical costs are reimbursed	For private schemes there is a specified package including 25 chronic diseases and 270 diagnosis and treatment pairs for inpatient care; some other services decided by scheme. For tax-funded services package is relatively comprehensive (very few exclusions), but rationing

BRICS=Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. SUS=Unified Health System. MHI=mandatory health insurance. RSBY=Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana. URBHI=Urban Resident Basic Health Insurance. NRCMS=New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme. UEBHI=Urban Employee Basic Health Insurance.