Chile

In Chile, all employed persons, in addition to individuals collecting pensions, are obligated to pay seven percent of their income towards health insurance coverage. There are two types of insurance: Isapre, which is offered by private insurers, and Fonasa, which is offered by the government. Fonasa also covers all those citizens who are unemployed, individuals who cannot work due a mental or physical disability, pregnant women who are uninsured, and dependents of employed persons. The country’s poorest workers are exempt from paying into the plan but still receive coverage. Fonasa coverage may be redeemed at both private and public health institutions. However, those who access private healthcare services must pay a percentage of costs out-of-pocket according to a three-tiered pricing scheme associated with the health professional. The Isapre system is entirely dependent on the profession of the worker, his or her income, medical status, and family history, etc.

Healthcare Spending

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Chile spent 7.2% of the national GDP on healthcare expenditures in 2012. That amounted to $1,606 USD per person, a figure that is moderately high for South America. Healthcare spending is lower in neighboring countries such as Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina. However, the figure is low in comparison to many higher-income countries across the world. In particular, the average amount of money spent on healthcare costs in the Americas region was above $3,500 US per capita in 2012.

Availability of Care

Chile faces a dire shortage of health professionals across the country. Figures indicate that there are approximately 1.02 doctors for every one thousand people. That number is less than half the regional average of 2.08 doctors per one thousand people. Nurses and midwives are in even higher demand, with a mere 0.14 nurses and midwives for every one thousand people, compared to the regional average of 4.58 nurses and midwives per one thousand people.

Life Expectancy & Mortality

Chile has a fairly high life expectancy compared to other South American countries such as Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia. The average life expectancy is 78.44 years. Men in Chile can expect to live 75.42 years, on average, whereas the figure has already crossed the 80-year mark for women, with an average of 81.59-year longevity. One of the main reasons why life expectancy is higher in Chile than in neighboring countries is that education and inoculation programs have helped to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.

Other Issues

The two-tiered healthcare system in Chile has been the subject of criticism. Instead of the public and private systems working together to provide coverage for all, this structure divides the system and increases inequality in healthcare delivery. For instance, low-income, high-risk members of the population most often access public healthcare and high-income, low-risk members of the population most often access private healthcare. In 2000, the Ministry of Health in Chile set several objectives for healthcare reform, which included laws that would improve private sector standards and regulations and laws that would put into practice a universal healthcare plan.