More than 78% of government officials who have registered with the officials' medical and welfare fund are high-income earners, a survey found.
Khon Kaen University's Pharmaceutical Science Faculty yesterday revealed the findings of its survey on the status of three national health funds that comprise the national health security local fund, social security fund and officials' medical and welfare fund.
Regarding the medical and welfare fund, the findings showed 78.8% of government officials who have registered with the fund are high-income earners, said Supon Limwattananon who leads the team of researchers conducting the survey from the Pharmaceutical Science Faculty. Among them, 58.7% are wealthy, he added. Low-income earners and the poor account for the other members, he said.
The survey on the status of the three funds was conducted randomly based on a total of 67 million Thais registered with the funds, Mr Supon said. The study is conducted every two years in a bid to evaluate the performance and quality of the funds, he added.
He said the team had analysed information from a 2013 survey on health and welfare obtained from the National Statistical Office to study how individuals, employees and government officials gain access to health and welfare services.
Meanwhile, in the Universal Healthcare Coverage (UC) scheme category, about 37.5% of those who registered with the scheme are poor and low-income earners, while 23% are high and middle-income earners and 14.3% are wealthy people, according to Mr Supon.
He said his team has studied the performance of the funds since the Universal Healthcare Coverage (UC) scheme was initiated in 2002. The study comes as some in health circles debate whether to introduce patient co-payments for the scheme.
The 30-baht gold card scheme, as the UC scheme is also known, has been created for people who are neither private sector employees nor government employees to ensure they have access to health care and receive government health subsidies. The findings have been submitted to the National Health Security Office, he said.