Health in the news: It's not true to say the poor pay 10 times more than the better-off for health!

Mr. Shahriari, a member of the Health Commission of the Parliament says that claiming that the poor pay 10 times more than the better-off for health has not been proved by any evidence. He added that those with lower income usually utilize public health services and cannot afford private health facilities. According to the law uninsured people receive a compulsory health insurance plan at the point of hospitalization and are able to use their policy right after the first encounter Shahriari reiterated. Some doctors/centers even waive the co- payments for poor patients he continued.
Source: www. aftabyazd.com, Jan 7, 2007 ; No: 1980

My Comment: I agree with Mr. Shahriari that this number (10 times) cannot be true (You can find the estimated values from the National Statistical Center) but I believe that in general the poor receive services of lower qualities. Residents of hard to reach areas, those who reside in ghettos, and pensioners have a poor access to quality healthcare.

Code: 21N

Health in the news: With 120 billion dollars annual income Iran should not be viewed as a poor coutnry

The Ministry of Welfare (Refah in Persian) , Mr. Mesri, made it clear that 2 million vulnerable individuals in the country should be cprotected by a health insurance plan. We are now in the second year of the fourth five year development plan (2005-2009) in which health promotion and equity has been considered as the most important focus of national development he said. Mr. Mesri declared that the country has 120 million dollars annual revenue from selling oil and oil products. A reason for high unemployment rate is that Iranians handed over tons of job opportunities to Afghan labor force he stated. Mr. Mesri reiterated that 97 percent of the total population will benefit from one kind of health insurance in the next year.

Source: www.aftabyazd.com, Jan 17,2007 No:1988

My comment: In addition to insurance coverage one would think of the efficiency of the health insurance plans. Healthcare Utilization Survey 2003 showed a 75% self reported health insurance coverage in the country which differs from the official reports.

Code: 18N