Page 52 - fourth year book

HEALTH SYSTEM IN EGYPT

Inappropriate use of medical technology leads to escalating
cost of health care services.

HEALTH INSURANCE ORGANIZATION (HIO)

HIO was established in 1964 to provide medical care for the work force
at government and industrial sectors at Alexandria.

Four broad classes of HIO beneficiaries

1. All employees working in the government sector
2. Some public and private sector employees, pensioners, and widows.

3. School age children

4. New-born children

HIO Mandate:

 Medical care

 Periodic check-up

 Workers

 FP services

 Sick leaves

 Assessing medical fitness.

 Estimating proportion of infirmity in work-related accidents
(Coverage of HIO in 2017 was 59 %)

The Egypt health care system faces multiple challenges in
improving and ensuring the health and wellbeing of the Egyptian
people. The system faces not only the burden of combating illnesses
associated with poverty and lack of education, but it must also respond
to emerging diseases and illnesses associated with modern, urban
lifestyle.

So, HIO at present faces a number of problems, primarily:

1. Multiplicity of insurance schemed with different systems of
contribution by beneficiaries.

2. The organization failed to legally change the system to cover the
ever increasing medical costs. As a result, HIO is facing increasing
financial deficits over time.

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