TY - JOUR ID - 4087 TI - Which UHC? Features for Equity and Universalism; Comment on “Universal Health Coverage for Non-Communicable Diseases and Health Equity: Lessons From Australian Primary Healthcare” JO - International Journal of Health Policy and Management JA - IJHPM LA - en SN - AU - Loewenson, Rene AD - Training and Research Support Centre, Harare, Zimbabwe Y1 - 2022 PY - 2022 VL - 11 IS - 5 SP - 704 EP - 707 KW - Heath Policy KW - Health Systems KW - Primary Healthcare KW - Health Equity KW - Universal Health Coverage DO - 10.34172/ijhpm.2021.89 N2 - Equity and universality are implicit in universal health coverage (UHC), although ambiguity has led to differing interpretations and policy emphases that limit their achievement. Diverse country experiences indicate a policy focus on differences in service availability and costs of care, and neoliberal policies that have focused UHC on segmented financing and disease- focused benefit packages, ignoring evidence on financing, service, rights-based and social features that enable equity, continuity of care and improved population health. Public policies that do not confront these neoliberal pressures limit equity-promoting features in UHC. In raising the impetus for UHC and widening public awareness of the need for public health systems, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents an opportunity for challenging market driven approaches to UHC, but also a need to make clear the features that are essential for ensuring equity in the progression towards universal health systems. UR - https://www.ijhpm.com/article_4087.html L1 - https://www.ijhpm.com/article_4087_955e2e8b36e350dd8ded46e5db0a843a.pdf ER -