Özet:

Monitoring the financial burden on their households as a result of high cash health spending and strengthening the financial protection of health has become one of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which is of global interest. The COVID-19 pandemic, which begins as a health problem and becomes a global economic crisis, constitutes a danger for both the spread of access to health services and the reduction of the financial risks caused by health expenditure of their households, defined by the Health Transformation Programme for Turkey (SDP). In this study, the COVID-19 pandemic estimated the potential effects that may occur on financial protection in poverty and health by estimating the decrease in household revenues and spending in Turkey. Based on the sector-based reductions and losses in the labour market published by TÜIK for 2020, it was calculated the health financial burden that the households could face, taking into account first the decrease in their households’ income, therefore the new poverty rates that would arise, and then the four different scenarios in the health expenditure made from the wallet. According to our analysis, it is estimated that in 2020 there will be an average reduction of 5.3% in household spending in Turkey. Due to this decline in household spending, it is estimated that approximately 1.35 million additional people will face poverty due to the COVID-19 crisis. According to four different scenarios in the health expenditure from the wallet in terms of financial protection, an additional population of 103 to 758 thousand will be exposed to catastrophic health expenditure, while an additional population of 82 to 153 thousand will be able to become poor due to the health expenditure from the wallet. In order to reduce the effects of the reduction in household revenues and expenditure caused by COVID-19, policy makers should increase the financing of public health services and minimize the cash spending for basic health services during the pandemic period. Suspension or delay of user contributions in the field of healthcare, spreading access to healthcare and strengthening social protection targets can help prevent deeper poverty and financial burden in the post-COVID-19 period.

Özet:

Monitoring financial burden on households due to high out-of-pocket health expenditures (OOP) and strengthening financial protection in health have been one of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals that have attracted global attention. The COVID-19 pandemic, which began as a global health problem and turned into an global economic crisis, constitutes a major threat to the targets of both expanding access to health services and reducing the financial risks of households arising from OOPs, determined in Health Transformation Program in Turkey. This study aims to examine the potential negative economic impacts of COVID-19 on poverty and financial protection in health in Turkey by predicting the reduction in household expenditures and income. Based on the data on sectoral-based contractions in the labor market published by TURKSTAT for 2020, firstly the decreases in household incomes, then the new poverty rates and the financial health burden of households are calculated by considering four different scenarios in OOPs. Results of our study demonstrate that economic impacts of COVID-19 can reduce household incomes or expenditures by an average of 5.3% in 2020 in Turkey. It is estimated that about 1.35 million additional population can face extreme poverty due to these reductions in household income. In terms of financial protection in health, according to four different scenarios in OOPs, an additional population of 103 to 758 thousand can be exposed to catastrophic health expenditures, and an additional population of 82 to 153 thousand can become impoverished due to high OOPs. To mitigate the effects of the reduction in income and spending of households caused by COVID-19 and to improve financial protection in health, policy makers are suggested to increase revenues for public health care and minimize OOPs on essential health services throughout the pandemic. Suspending or deferring user contributions for COVID-19 related and other health care services, extending to all the entitlement to essential health services, and strengthening social protection goals can help prevent deeper poverty and financial burden during and in the post-COVID-19 era.

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