The future of national health systems

摘要

Comprehensive national health systems providing universal access, based on social solidarity and funded through social insurance or general taxation, have been one of the major achievements of many countries in the period following the Second World War. Yet everywhere these systems are now under threat. Costs are increasing because of rapid developments in health care technologies, many of which are very expensive, at least initially, and because of ageing of the population which has occurred at least in part because of the very healthcare systems now threatened by their own success.