Today, December 12, is Universal Health Coverage Day.
It may seem like there’s a day for everything! What is Universal Health Coverage anyway, and why should it have a day?
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is the idea that every person, everywhere should have access to health care without suffering financial hardship. On this day 2 years ago, in 2012, the United Nations unanimously endorsed Universal Health Coverage. Now, annually, this day represents an opportunity for increasing awareness and advocacy in this space. This year, they have over 300 partners joining them to raise awareness. Access Our Medicine feels lucky to be among these!
Health is a human right and a cornerstone of sustainable development and global security. How health care is financed and delivered must change – to be more equitable and more effective.
Imagine a world with Universal Health Coverage. As an individual, this means you would not have to worry about paying for all of your health care expenses, from doctors visits and stays in the hospital, to eye exams and dental check-ups. In this world, why would the price of medicine matter? After all, the money would not be coming out of your pocket!
The truth is that the rising price of medicine and Universal Health Coverage are inextricably linked. Many countries whose governments offer Universal Health Coverage have lengthy processes to approve new drugs. These processes are in place not only to ensure that the treatment is safe, but that it is cost-effective. In recent years, patients in countries like the United Kingdom and Australia–both of whom have UHC– have been seeing longer waits for approval of these new, expensive drugs and, in some cases, a lack of access due to the cost.
Even when the drug is free for the individual, the cost must still be paid by someone. In the case of UHC, typically the government bears this cost. Stories like this one from the UK are becoming more and more common. As the prices of medicine is on the rise, governments must make decisions on the cost-effectiveness of each drug. Instead of individuals scrimping together what little they have, facing the difficult decisions of putting a price on the lives of their loved ones, governments must look at the bigger picture.
In many cases, this means more equitable access for everyone, and generally improved access for the majority of people, but in the case of expensive, specialty drugs, access is not guaranteed. Suddenly the coverage doesn’t look so ‘Universal’, does it?
The bottom line is this: no matter who pays–individuals, insurance companies or governments–the prices of medicines are becoming unsustainable for everyone. Health coverage cannot be truly universal until life-saving medicines are affordable for all people, everywhere. It’s a complex issue but we really need two things: 1) Universal Health Coverage for every country in the world and 2) Affordable medicine to ensure that UHC programs can offer high quality care.
If you’ve heard enough and you’re ready to take action, add your name to the Declaration for Affordable Medicine today and join the conversation! Everyone should have access to affordable medicine.
To support UHC Day, check out their awesome actions Toolkit and make sure to give them some love on twitter using the hashtag #HealthForAll!
