Compare: Benefits package

Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage

The Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage systematically documents the reforms of its member countries and other countries that have expanded health coverage through demand-side financing. The case studies contained in these pages are brief, comparative and modular in nature, describing the key highlights and technical features of each program.


Compare various dimensions of country reform efforts using our interactive tool.


Program Types of benefits Benefits package
Vietnam: Compulsory and Voluntary Health Insurance Schemes
  • Comprehensive

HCFP offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes both inpatient and outpatient care. Excluded are interventions covered by vertical programs such as HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, treatments not yet approved by the MoH, various “luxury” interventions such as cosmetic surgery, certain dental procedures, and treatment of self-inflicted injuries and drug addiction, among others.

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HCFP offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes both inpatient and outpatient care. Excluded are interventions covered by vertical programs such as HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, treatments not yet approved by the MoH, various “luxury” interventions such as cosmetic surgery, certain dental procedures, and treatment of self-inflicted injuries and drug addiction, among others.

The benefits package is essentially the same for everyone, except the poor, children under 6, pensioners, and meritorious persons who are exempted from copayment or have lower copayment rate. The following services are covered under all health programs: medical consultation, diagnosis and treatment, X-ray and laboratory tests, functional examination, imaging diagnosis, drugs listed by the MoH, blood and transfusion, surgery, antenatal examination and delivery. In addition to these items, the insurance also covers the cost (up to a certain limit) of a defined list of high-technology treatments (including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hemodialysis and laser surgery among a total of 177 specified high-tech procedures).

The following exemptions, some of which are covered by the national target programs, are imposed: leprosy, tuberculosis, malaria, schizophrenia, epilepsy, STD, vaccination, convalescence, early-detected pregnancy, medical check-ups, family planning services and infertility treatments, prosthesis, aesthetic surgery, artificial arm, leg, tooth, glasses, hearing-aid machines, occupational diseases, war injuries, accidents at work place, treatment for suicide, self-inflicted injuries, drug addiction, medical appraisal, forensic appraisal, mental examination, home care, rehabilitation and delivery.

Colombia: General System of Social Security in Health
  • Comprehensive

One controversial component of the Colombian health system is that CR members—the wealthier—receive a richer benefits package than the poorer SR members. The CR benefits package covers all levels of care including inpatient, outpatient, maternity leave, and sick leave. The SR package covers all low-complexity care and catastrophic illnesses but provides only limited coverage for most hospital care and no short term disability coverage.

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One controversial component of the Colombian health system is that CR members—the wealthier—receive a richer benefits package than the poorer SR members. The CR benefits package covers all levels of care including inpatient, outpatient, maternity leave, and sick leave. The SR package covers all low-complexity care and catastrophic illnesses but provides only limited coverage for most hospital care and no short term disability coverage. The SR is complemented by services provided by public hospitals, financed through direct payments to providers from the state, independent of what services they supply and of patients’ insurance status.

Rwanda: Mutuelles de Sante
  • Comprehensive

The benefits package in Rwanda has two primary parts: the Minimum Package of Activities (MPA) and the Complementary Package of Activities (CPA). The MPA covers all services and drugs provided at the health centers including pre- and post-natal care, vaccinations, family planning, minor surgical operations, and essential and generic drugs. All individuals in Rwanda with health insurance are entitled to comprehensive, subsidized preventative care through the MPA. The CPA covers a limited number of services at the district hospitals, including the cost of hospitalization, caesarian operations, minor and major surgical operations, medical imaging, and all diseases afflicting children ages 0 to 5 years.

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The benefits package in Rwanda has two primary parts: the Minimum Package of Activities (MPA) and the Complementary Package of Activities (CPA). The MPA covers all services and drugs provided at the health centers including pre- and post-natal care, vaccinations, family planning, minor surgical operations, and essential and generic drugs. All individuals in Rwanda with health insurance are entitled to comprehensive, subsidized preventative care through the MPA. The CPA covers a limited number of services at the district hospitals, including the cost of hospitalization, caesarian operations, minor and major surgical operations, medical imaging, and all diseases afflicting children ages 0 to 5 years. As of 2006, the CPA benefits package was extended to cover select services in national hospitals. In order to receive these benefits, individuals must be referred from the health centers to district or national level hospitals.

Mutuelle members are entitled to comprehensive benefits for primary care, secondary care, and tertiary care provided through public or private non-profit contracted facilities. The scheme provides basic services such as family planning, pre-natal care, consultations, basic laboratory examinations, generic drugs, and hospital treatment. All medications from hospitals are also included in the benefits.

For those covered under RAMA, benefits include all the major preventative services in addition to all curative services and pharmaceuticals. The benefits package for MMI is the same as RAMA, with the addition of prostheses coverage added under MMI. Excluded are contact lenses and braces as well as cosmetic surgery for purely aesthetic reasons. RAMA and MMI have signed contracts with all public health centers and reference hospitals, as well as 16 private institutions. MMI has the added advantage of using military hospitals, thus, individuals covered under these plans are able to access health care benefits at almost all health centers in Rwanda.

Chile: National Health Fund (FONASA)
  • Comprehensive

The Explicit Health Guarantee (GES) laws contain provisions for basic primary care, emergency care, and targeted health problems. Primary care coverage includes preventative and curative services provided by a physician and a family medicine team. Acute illnesses, preventative health care, health screenings, special programs for mental and cardiovascular health, specialist referrals, and home visits are all part of the primary care menu.

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The Explicit Health Guarantee (GES) laws contain provisions for basic primary care, emergency care, and targeted health problems. Primary care coverage includes preventative and curative services provided by a physician and a family medicine team. Acute illnesses, preventative health care, health screenings, special programs for mental and cardiovascular health, specialist referrals, and home visits are all part of the primary care menu. Emergency care is guaranteed through a network of facilities covering the entire country. Emergency services provided include pre-hospital care, transportation, diagnostic care, stabilization, and treatment of life-threatening situations. ISAPREs must offer the same benefits covered under the GES. Beyond this, they are free to provide additional coverage to those who wish to purchase it. As of 2008, there were over 10,000 plans available.

Coverage for targeted health problems is assured through the AUGE plan for both FONASA and ISAPRE enrollees. Table 2 outlines the health problems that are included in the plan.

Table 2: AUGE health problems

200520062007
No.Health problemNo.Health problemNo.Health problem
1.End-stage renal disease26.Preventative cholecystectomy for gallbladder cancer41.Hearing loss in individuals over 65
2.Operable congenital cardiopathies in children under 15 years27.Gastric cancer42.Leukemia in adults
3. Cervical uterine cancer28.Prostate cancer43Eye trauma
4.Pain relief and palliative care for advanced cancer29.Refractive disorders in individuals over 65 years44.Cystic fibrosis
5.Acute myocardial infarction30.Strabismus in children under 9 years45.Severe burns
6.Type I diabetes mellitus31.Diabetic retinopathy46.Drug and alcohol dependence in adolescents from 10 to 19 years
7.Type II diabetes mellitus32.Detached retina47.Complete prenatal and delivery care
8.Breast cancer in individuals over 15 years33.Hemophilia48.Rheumatoid arthritis
9.Spinal defects34.Depression in individuals over 15 years49.Mild and moderate osteoarthritis of hip in individuals over 60 years; mild and moderate osteoarthritis of knee in individuals over 65 years
10.Surgical treatment for scoliosis in individuals under 25 years35.Benign prostatic hyperplasia50.Ruptured aneurysms; ruptured ateriovenous malformations
11.Surgical treatments for cataracts36.Acute cerebrovascular accident51.Central nervous system tumors and cysts
12.Total hip replacement for advanced osteoarthritis in individuals over 65 years37.Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease52.Herniated disks
13.Cleft palate38.Bronchial asthma53.Dental emergencies
14.Cancer in children under 15 years39.Infant respiratory distress syndrome54.Dental care for adults over 65 years
15.Schizophrenia40.Orthotics and technical support for individuals over 65 years55.Multitrauma
16.Testicular cancer in individuals over 15 years56.Traumatic brain injury
17.Lymphoma in individuals over 15 years
18.Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) / HIV
19.Outpatient treatment for acute respiratory infection in children under 5 years
20.Walking pneumonia in individuals over 65 years
21.Primary (essential) arterial hypertension in individuals over 15 years
22.Nonrefractory epilepsy in children 1 to 15 years
23.Complete oral health care for children under 6 years: prevention and education
24.Prematurity - Retinopathy of Prematurity - Hypoacusia Prematurity
25.Major conduction disorders requiring a pacemaker in individuals over 15 years

Source: Bitran, R., Urcullo, G., 105

There are also special FONASA programs such as the Catastrophic Insurance program and the Seniors program. Catastrophic Insurance covers complex and high cost diseases such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, and brain tumors. Meanwhile, the Seniors program is designed to increase the coverage of pathologies that affect seniors over the age of 65 for the Institutional Modality and seniors over 55 for the Free Election Modality. This program is free to those enrolled. Among the benefits included are prosthetics, high-cost procedures, and expedited wait-listing for certain surgeries.

India: RSBY
  • Primarily Inpatient

RSBY covers all hospitalization expenses of up to Rs. 30,000/- (USD 600) per family per year and has established package rates for 727 inpatient surgical procedures, including maternity and newborn care. Benefits packages also provide beneficiaries with transportation assistance of up to Rs. 100/- (USD 2) per visit, though not exceeding Rs. 1,000/- (USD 20) per year.

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RSBY covers all hospitalization expenses of up to Rs. 30,000/- (USD 600) per family per year and has established package rates for 727 inpatient surgical procedures, including maternity and newborn care. Benefits packages also provide beneficiaries with transportation assistance of up to Rs. 100/- (USD 2) per visit, though not exceeding Rs. 1,000/- (USD 20) per year.

A family covered by RSBY can include up to five members (including a husband, a wife, and three dependents). Most of the surgical and medical conditions for which hospitalization is necessary are covered in the scheme. In addition, beneficiaries are covered for outpatient surgeries which can be done on an outpatient basis. The benefit also includes one day pre- and five day post-hospitalization expenses.

All pre-existing diseases are covered from the first day of enrollment with some exclusions. RSBY does not cover:

  • OPD expenses, or expenses in hospitals which do not lead to hospitalization
  • Congenital external diseases
  • Drug and alcohol induced illness
  • Sterilization and fertility-related procedures
Brazil: Unified Health System (SUS)
  • Comprehensive

Brazil’s health system offers free, universal coverage. Care under the SUS is divided into basic, specialized, and high complexity categories. Basic care is composed of health promotion and disease prevention. Care is deemed specialized if the intervention requires the use of a medical specialist. Finally, complex care is composed of interventions that require the use of advanced technology and equipment.

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Brazil’s health system offers free, universal coverage. Care under the SUS is divided into basic, specialized, and high complexity categories. Basic care is composed of health promotion and disease prevention. Care is deemed specialized if the intervention requires the use of a medical specialist. Finally, complex care is composed of interventions that require the use of advanced technology and equipment.

The PSF’s original priority areas were: women’s health, child health, hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis, leprosy, HIV, oral health, and health promotion.