[Financial protection for health care expenses provided by public and private systems in Chile]

People need a financial protection system to face the high costs of health care.

To compare the financial protection between households affiliated to the Chilean public health financing system (FONASA) or to a private health financing system (ISAPRE). To describe the evolution of protection at the national level between 2007 and 2012.

As proposed by the World Bank, impact indicators to measure the equity and efficiency of the insurance systems were generated. Namely, average out-of-pocket expenses by insurance and average out-of-pocket spending as a percentage of expenditure. Also, the evolution of out-of-pocket spending by quintiles and Gini Coefficient were measured as measure of equity. To determine these, Family Budget Surveys for 2007 and 2012 were used.

Household out-of-pocket spending increased by 14.12%. When expressed as a percentage of total expenditure, it grew from 5.6% to 6.2%. Household Gini coefficient and per capita out-of-pocket spending decreased and the ratio between the highest and lowest quintile out-of-pocket increased at both analysis levels. Pocket expense in absolute values or expressed as a percentage of total expenses was higher among persons insured in private systems than those affiliated to the public financing service.

Out-of-pocket spending increased for all income groups and people insured in the public system had a lower absolute and relative spending than those insured in private systems.