The Global Economic Crisis and Blind Spots of Health Security

Shin, Young Jeon

doi:10.17000/kspr.17.1.201004.95

With the recent global economic crisis posing a threat to public health, the importance of health security as a social safety net is growing. Bucking the trend, more than 8% of South Koreans are currently excluded from its health-security scheme due to financial, managerial, and political factors, and even the level of health security coverage remains a mere 60%. Moreover, medical-bill assistance and emergency aid projects fail to offer sufficient solutions to the blind spots of health security due to the complicated and segmented assistance provided, managerial issues, and the low level of coverage. As a result, the number of households in South Korea that spends more than 10% of what they can afford to pay on their medical-bills accounts for a remarkable 10-15% of the total number of households, and the South Korean adults’ medical insufficiency represents 3-10%. These blind spots of health security pose a bigger threat to the nation under an economic crisis. For short-term measures to address the blind spots of health security under an economic crisis, prompt action is necessary,with the parts working in coordination and with the help of stern arbitration regimes in such problematic areas as the existing medical insurance, healthcare bills, the different standards between medical-bill assistance and emergency aid projects, administrative confusion, and the untimely decision-making process. As for mid- to longer-term measures, the existing health safety net should be restructured. The treatment-centered health safety net should be transformed into the concept of prevention and health enhancement, with the addition of rehabilitation and rejoining the society. Furthermore, the inclusion of those who have been left in the blind spots of the health-security system among the beneficiaries of the major relevant policies is necessary, along with the inclusion of resource procurement and service delivery through the private sector in the said framework. In addition, a mechanism that establishes an operating system where the civil society and the concerned parties can participate in, and that monitors projects in a consistent manner, is required. It should be designed and managed in such a way that it will be in good coordination with the social safety net in the areas of income, housing, education, and culture. In addition, the settlement of the blind spots of the health-security system should be made a matter for political discussion, and consideration must be given to the stark reinforcement of security for the public healthcare system and to the integration of the systems. Moreover, the quantitative expansion and qualitative enhancement of the public health system should be sought through the development and implementation of projects that target the extension of assistance to the underprivileged. In an economic crisis, a series of policies that trigger a rise in medical bills should be sublated while preferentially putting much effort in securing a high quality of reasonable medical-service delivery systems based on publicity to maintain the effectiveness of such safety net. The settlement of the issues regarding the blind spots of the health-security system with enhanced security assumes the nature of a political process. Accordingly, the successful establishment of a firm health safety net lies in the following factors: the expansion of the discussion on the value of social solidarity, which surpasses unlimited competition and market discussion political leaderships securing effective political means with the public supportstable resources policymakers dedicated to the establishment of a medical safety net related working experts on the frontline and the relevant capabilities and efforts of the civil society. A firm health safety net will serve as a critical base in overcoming an economic crisis.

Citation status

KCI Citation Counts (18)
열림/닫힘 버튼
REFERENCES (63)
열림/닫힘 버튼
* 2021년 이후 발행 논문의 참고문헌은 현재 구축 중입니다.

[report] 국가인권위원회 / 2010 / 근로능력평가의 기준 등에 관한 규정 중 활동능력 평기기준에 대한 권고

[report] 국가인권위원회 / 2008 / 의료급여통계연보

[report] 국민건강보험공단 / 2006 / 2005년도 건강보험환자의 본인부담 진료비 실태조사

[confproc] 김미곤 / 2009 / 경제위기에 따른 사회안전망 구축 기본방향 / 보건복지포럼 : 5~11

[book] 김수현 / 2009 / 한국의 가난 / 한울

[book] 김연명 / 2002 / 한국 복지국가 성격논쟁 I / 인간과 복지

[journal] 김연희 / 2009 / A Study on the Characteristics of Poverty of North Korean Settlers: A Comparison with the South Korean Poor / 한국사회복지학 / 한국사회복지학회 61(1) : 195~218

[confproc] 김윤권 / 2006 / Institutional Design for the Social Safety Net / 한국보건행정학회 동계학술대회발표논문집 : 563~577

[book] 김창엽 / 2009 / 건강보장의 이론 / 한울아카데미

[report] 기획재정부 / 2009 / 민생안정 긴급지원 대책

[book] 남구현 / 2001 / 노동자운동과 사회정책 / 현장에서 미래를

[book] 남기철 / 2007 / 노숙인과 사회복지실천 / 한국학술정보

[report] 리서치알엔에이 / 2007 / 쪽방, 비닐하우스촌 주거실태조사 보고서

[other] 매일경제 / 2008 / “의료급여제도 개편으로 2400억원 절감”(2008.4.28.)

[report] 박찬용 / 1999 / 경제위기에 따른 빈곤수준 및 소득불평등 변화와 정책방향 / 한국보건사회연구원

[other] 복지뉴스 / 2006 / “'SOS 저소득층' 위한 긴급복지지원제도를 진단하다”, 2006년 7월호

[report] 설동훈 / 2005 / 외국인노동자 보건의료실태 조사연구 / 국제보건의료발전재단

[report] 박찬용 / 1999 / 경제위기에 따른 빈곤수준 및 소득불평등 변화와 정책방향 / 한국보건사회연구원

[thesis] 손수인 / 2009 / 과부담의료비 지출에 영향을 미치는 요인 / 석사 / 서울대학교 보건대학원

[report] 신영석 / 2005 / 의료급여환자 의료지출실태 및 급여개선 방안

[report] 신영석 / 2006 / 의료안전망 구축과 정책과제 / 한국보건사회연구원

[report] 신영전 / 2006 / 의료급여 재정 효율화 및 중장기 제도개선 방안 / 보건복지부

[confproc] 신영전 / 2009 / 의료민영화’정책과 이에 대한 사회적 대응이 한국보건의료체계에 가지는 역사적 함의 / 비판과 대안을 위한 건강정책학회 창립학술대회 자료집

[journal] 신영전 / 2009 / The Prevalence and Association Factors of Unmet Medical Need -Using 1st and 2nd Korea Welfare Panel Data- / 보건사회연구 / 한국보건사회연구원 29(1) : 95~122

[confproc] 신영전 / 2009 / 의료안전망의 재구성과 정책과제 / 보건복지포럼

[report] 신영전 / 2009 / 건강불평등 완화를 위한 건강증진전략 및 사업개발 / 보건복지가족부

[confproc] 신현웅 / 2009 / 의료보장 사각지대 현황 및 해소방안 / 보건복지포럼

[confproc] 신현웅 / 2009 / 민간 의료비 지원사업 활성화 방안 / 정책토론회 자료집

[report] 유원섭 / 2008 / 의료안전망기금 설치운영방안 연구

[journal] 이원영 / 2005 / Catastrophic Health Expenditures among Income Groups in Urban Households / 사회보장연구 / 한국사회보장학회 21(2) : 105~132

[journal] 이준영 / 2005 / 사회적 안전망으로서 건강보험의 역할 / 건강보험포럼 4(3) : 2~15

[report] 이지혜 / 2008 / 경제학자가 진단한 글로벌 경제위기와 한국경제 / 자유기업원

[confproc] 이진석 / 2009 / 획기적 건강보험 보장성 확대와 의료안전망 강화를 제안한다!. in: 경제위기시대! 의료민영화, 과연 한국의료의 대안인가? / 국회토론회 자료집

[report] 이현주 / 2008 / 2006년 차상위계층 실태분석 및 정책제언 / 보건사회연구원

[report] 장재철 / 2008 / 글로벌 금융위기와 한국경제 / 삼성경제연구소

[report] 정형선 / 2004 / 의료보장 사각지대. 국민건강보험발전을 위한 논의과제 I / 국민건강보험발전위원회

[confproc] 정형선 / 2009 / 경제위기 하의 의료보장정책 / 국회 시장경제와 사회안전망포럼 공동주최 정책세미나 자료집 / 한국사회보장학회 : 135~149

[report] 주OECD대표부 / 2007 / OECD 국가의 외국인력정책 동향과 시사점

[book] 통일부 / 2008 / 통일백서

[web] 참세상 / http://www.newscham.net/news/view.php?board=news&id=44908 / http://www.newscham.net/news/view.php?board=news&id=44908.

[journal] 참여연대 / 2009 / 서민위한 예산 대폭 삭감한 ‘친서민정부’의 2010년 복지예산(안) / 복지동향

[other] 참여연대 / 2010 / 근로능력 판정제도 관련 정책권고 요청

[web] 한국교회봉사단 / 서울시노숙인복지시설협회, 노숙인 실태조사 발표

[confproc] 홍경준 / 2009 / 사회안전망 사각지대: 실태와 대응방안 모색 / 2009년 한국사회정책학회 추계학술대회 자료집 : 82~116

[report] 홍승권 / 2006 / 국내거주 외국인 근로자의 건강수준 평가와 체계적 관리방안 / 서울대학

[book] Bethune, A. / 1997 / Unemployment and mortality. in: Health inequalities / Stationery Office : 156~167

[book] Chung, K. / 2001 / Sharing Productive Welfare Experience / Korean Institute for Health and Social Affairs

[report] Commission on Social Determinants of Health / 2008 / Final report: closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on the social determinants of health / World Health Organization

[journal] Devereaux PJ / 2004 / Payments for care at private for-profit and private not-for-profit hospitals: a systematic review and meta-analysis / Canadian Medical Association Journal 170(12) : 1817~1824

[book] Early Child Development Knowledge Network of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health / 2007 / Early child development: a powerful equalizer / WHO

[journal] Grantham-McGregor SM / 2007 / Development potential in the first 5 years for children in developing countries / Lancet 369 : 60~70

[journal] Himmelstein, D.U. / 2007 / Medical bankruptcy in the United States, results of a national study / Am J Med 122(8) : 741~746

[journal] Khang Y / 2005 / Impact of economic crisis on cause-specific mortality in South Korea / Int J Epidemiol 34 : 1291~1301

[book] Kingdon JW. Agendas / 1984 / Alternatives, and Public Policies / Little, Brown

[journal] Marmot, M. G. / 2009 / How will the financial crisis affect health? / BMJ 338 : 858~860

[book] Moser K. / 1981 / Unemployment and mortality. in: Longitudinal study: mortality and social organisation, England and Wales, 1971 -1981 / Stationery Office : 81~108

[other] OECD / 2009 / Health data

[other] OECD / 2009 / Health at a glance

[other] / 2008 / Public Health Agency of Canada and the Health Systems Knowledge Network (PHAC and HSKN), 2008, an Analysis of 18 Country Case Studies

[book] Roberts, M. J. / 2004 / Getting Health Reform Right

[journal] Rosenau PV / 2003 / Two decades of research comparing for-profit and nonprofit health provide performance in the United States / Social Science Quarterly 84(2) : 219~241

[book] Ruger, J. Prah / 2001 / Health and the Economy. in: International Public Health / Jones and Barlett

[journal] van Doorslaer E / 2007 / Catastrophic payments for health care in Asia / Health Econ 16(11) : 1159~1184

KJC Korea
Journal Central

Statistics

Tools

Sharing

Issue List

Citation status