Talk:List of countries with universal health care

Criteria for inclusion
Since this page is called 'Universal health coverage by country' (and consists, initially, of descriptions taken from the Universal health coverage article), we should have some criteria for what makes a country eligible to be on this list. Any ideas? One criteria I think should be that a 3rd party source has covered the health system in the country and called it a program of 'Universal healthcare' or 'universal health coverage'.--KarlB (talk) 17:02, 12 April 2012 (UTC)
 * A good example of why this is necessary is Hong Kong's entry. It explains some of the reasons Hong Kong has a good healthcare system, but says nothing about if that healthcare is actually universal or not. While there's a link to Hong Kong's healthcare system, the current body of that entry has no bearing on this article.--68.69.245.84 (talk) 09:47, 16 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Whether people call a country's system a "universal health care" program or not seems arbitrary and subjective. The description of Mauritius, for instance, mentions that "The Government of Mauritius operates a system of medical facilities that provide treatment to citizens free of charge." But this is also true of the United States, which is not listed as a country with "universal health care" – in the U.S., these facilities are often called "clinics" (e.g. City Clinic on 7th Street in San Francisco) or "emergency rooms". Starchild (talk) 04:16, 9 August 2022 (UTC)
 * Unfortunately, the link for Mauritius is dead, and I've not been able to find a substitute reliable source. However, to respond to your general question, the answer is in the lead paragraph of the article:  "Government-guaranteed health care for all citizens of a country, sometimes called "Universal health coverage", is a broad concept that has been implemented in several ways." The fact that some governments in the US fund clinics or emergency rooms does not meet that definition. Universal coverage means all medical conditions are covered.  For example, the federal funding provisions for emergency rooms in the US end once the patient is stabilised.  Further care that is not an emergency is not necessarily covered.  That doesn't occur in systems of universal health care coverage. Mr Serjeant Buzfuz (talk) 12:45, 9 August 2022 (UTC)

Why do some countries have 'Free Health care' but not 'Universal Health Care'? I'd think the former implies the latter. Why is the list of countries sorted randomly? I'd sort it for you if you wish, but wonder if there's method.Jamesdowallen (talk) 07:34, 27 November 2017 (UTC)

needs a Map
this article is in terrible need of a colour coded map. Roidroid (talk) 09:27, 29 June 2012 (UTC)
 * added. The map was revised from the previous version. Please take a look and add comments here: . --KarlB (talk) 21:58, 17 July 2012 (UTC)


 * There is no map any longer, and yes it's desperately needed. 2601:80:C67F:FB70:857D:B686:8DF7:180A (talk) 06:57, 30 May 2024 (UTC)

United States
The name of this article is "List of countries with universal health care". The section on the USA starts with "The United States does not have a universal health care system." Should we therefore remove it from this list? Tom pw (talk) 16:57, 8 March 2017 (UTC)


 * That makes sense to me. Why should the US be listed in this article? Mr Serjeant Buzfuz (talk) 04:27, 3 August 2017 (UTC)


 * Agree completely. And yet, here it still is.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jriley555 (talk • contribs) 21:49, 19 November 2018 (UTC)
 * What I saw on the list, referenced July 15, 2023, says that all people in US are required to have health care. HA! Not universal and grossly unfair. Mitt Romney put something like the current ACA (AKA Obamacare) in his state as governor. California is trying to put through universal health care for everyone, immigrants, visitors, etc. And as goes California, so does the US (eventually). There are still too many people going bankrupt because of medical bills in this "greatest of all" nations.  Megalodon50 (talk) 21:49, 15 July 2023 (UTC)

"In May 2011, the state of Vermont became the first state to pass legislation establishing a single-payer health care system. The legislation, known as Act 48, establishes health care in the state as a "human right" and lays the responsibility on the state to provide a health care system that meets the needs of the citizens of Vermont. The proposal was shelved not long after the main provisions of the law took effect in 2014.[140] A revised estimate in July 2012 by the CBO stated 30 million people would gain access to health insurance under the law.[141]"

Is it safe to assume that somebody inserted the description of Vermont's Act 48 but inserted it in the wrong place, above a line that was about the ACA? Given Vermont's population, it seems unlikely that Act 48 would result in 30 million people gaining access to health insurance... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 47.14.76.26 (talk) 14:35, 21 February 2019 (UTC)

Estonia is not actually universal coverage
I quibble, perhaps, but researching this, discover that in Estonia, to be eligible for treatment, you must register for work - making yourself available for employment training schemes and any job that is offered. If you don't work or are not registered to work, the hospital door remains firmly closed. This is not what I took 'universal healthcare' to mean, and I might feel misled even. Heck, I dunno, maybe we don't actually think it's a big deal, the matter of the very small percentage of the population who refuse to work or look for work. Or did I phrase that wrong -- because in Estonia, it's a big deal.DanLanglois (talk) 11:39, 10 December 2017 (UTC)

You are correct,Estonia has no universal health care, small number of those not eligible is enough to prove this fact. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.131.85.46 (talk) 08:56, 7 December 2023 (UTC)


 * At the moment (April 3, 2024) Estonia does not have universal healthcare ("universal access" to paid services does not qualify as universal healthcare probably?) but they are working on it. By latest information (source: Ministry of Social Affairs) about 90 000 people in Estonia (about 6.5 per cent of population) do not have health insurance. It does not depend on whether or not a person is actually working but in some cases may depend on whether "social tax" minimum is met. (33 percent of income or about 2600 euros per year.) And the registered unemployed do have health insurance.
 * A link for a study, there's a good summary (the study is in Estonian but translating stuff is pretty easy nowadays):
 * https://www.praxis.ee/tood/ravikindlustuskaitse-uuring/ Nebula12 (talk) 03:44, 3 April 2024 (UTC)

Countries with 100% Universal Care?
This page lists countries which do NOT have universal health care, notably the United States. As such, it is deceptive and unhelpful.

Where's the list of countries that actually do have universal health care? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Johnywhy (talk • contribs) 02:42, 19 February 2019 (UTC)


 * Going by the text of the article, it appears that Brazil is the only country that actually has universal health care:
 * "As of 2021, Brazil is the only country where any individual within the state’s jurisdiction is eligible to receive instant, free and complete healthcare with no previous application, which covers all treatments, surgeries and medications at any condition, whether resident or non-resident, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or visa, including tourists, passengers in transit, and refugees."
 * Starchild (talk) 04:19, 9 August 2022 (UTC)
 * The usual definition of universal health care is that it's based on providing health care to the citizens and residents of the country. Brazil goes beyond that to not tie health care to residency, but the general approach of this article is based on health care for citizens and residents. If you think that definition should be changed, please feel free to start a RfC. Mr Serjeant Buzfuz (talk) 13:00, 9 August 2022 (UTC)


 * Additionally, Medicare isn't mentioned in the US, although other similar systems in other countries seem to qualify them as having "universal" healthcare. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:602:8000:9f90:a57c:2480:f18f:116c (talk) 28 December 2019 (UTC)
 * Medicare in the US is age-based, for people over 65, and requires premiums if the individual didn't work enough quarters to earn social security. That's not universal coverage.  Mr Serjeant Buzfuz (talk) 13:00, 9 August 2022 (UTC)
 * Agreed, not universal. Megustalastrufas (talk) 16:16, 11 August 2022 (UTC)

Universal Healthcare in Estonia - questionable as well
I disagree with the statement that there is Universal Healthcare in Estonia. Health insurance only applies to those who pay social tax, as well as to children and pensioners. Homeless people and long-term unemployed do not have health insurance coverage. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.131.85.46 (talk) 19:52, 3 December 2023 (UTC)

Netherlands and free healthcare - questionable
Dutch system is much closer to Swiss rather than any other European healthcare systems. People are obliged to pay for private insurance from their own money. It's not part of any tax but an amount demanded by an insurer the same for everyone. It's definitely not free in the sense it's free in e.g. France or Germany. It doesn't seem sensible to call the Dutch healthcare system free especially that it's highly criticized for being not affordable for the poor. The poor must pay the insurance fee every month and got access to a free GP. However, they often can't afford real treatments as in order to have a treatment they need to pay for it themselves and the insurer starts covering the amount only after reaching some limit. And some can't afford spending this amount. it is definitely not a free healthcare system

Also as the proponents of this system claim it uses the forces of free market to get the most efficient workings. Free market doesn't seem like free healthcare. It is universal but not free. 45.93.75.81 (talk) 19:37, 3 August 2022 (UTC)


 * Also, part of the entry on the Netherlands draws upon data from 2004 whereas from 2006 the system is privatized. 45.93.75.81 (talk) 13:02, 4 August 2022 (UTC)

As stated in the main page for healthcare in the Netherlands, "If you don't take out insurance, you risk a fine" for ages between 18 and retirement. That cannot be called free. Heavy edits are required.--Megustalastrufas (talk) 11:11, 5 August 2022 (UTC)


 * Why? This page is not about free health care. It is about universal health care, which is a system that ensures that all citizens have access to health care. One method for this is by mandating insurance. The Commonwealth Fund defines the Netherlands as a country with universal health care because 99.8% of the population is insured. Rednikki (talk) 20:30, 16 September 2022 (UTC)

Definition in lede and criteria for inclusion should be more clear
I think the current list can be justified if it's made clear that the term "universal health care" is treated as a purely legal issue, unrelated to actual treatment practices or results. All the countries on the list probably do offer "Government-guaranteed health care". On the other hand, "guaranteed" kind of implies that they also follow through and actually provide everyone with health care, which is clearly untrue for many of the countries on the list. For instance, the World Bank ranks India and Burkina Faso quite low in their Universal Health Coverage ranking (https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/640121513095868125/pdf/122029-WP-REVISED-PUBLIC.pdf), while the United States has a very high ranking. It should be clear that India and Burkina Faso are part of this list because they have enacted legislation that gives everyone a theoretical right to health care, not because this right is actually enforced. (For comparison, a "List of countries with free speech" should make it very clear whether the criteria for inclusion are the presence of free speech legislation, or whether people in the country actually have free speech.)

I also think it can be argued that the US has had "some form of government action aimed at broadly extending access to health care and setting minimum standards". If this is to be a list of countries with a certain property, excluding all others, that property should be more clearly defined.

An alternative is to remake this list into something like a "List of countries by universal health care coverage", and include all countries for which we have relevant information. Ornilnas (talk) 03:12, 13 October 2022 (UTC)

Need a table
Could this list be presented in a structured linked data format. For example, adding number of people covered by it, linked to population data Jack Nunn Jacknunn ([]) 00:52, 17 November 2022 (UTC)


 * Health care systems by country has such a table at the moment. It would probably be a better fit for this article. Ornilnas (talk) 15:52, 3 March 2024 (UTC)