Analysis of Out-of-Pocket Expenditures in the Philippines

Abstract

Despite the rosy picture of the domestic economy, income and social inequalities still persist. Basic social provisions like health care remain generally inaccessible among the vulnerable segments of the population. Although social safety nets are in place to facilitate access (e.g., social health insurance and supply-side financing mechanisms), out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures remain to be the major source of financing during health-care episodes. For instance, OOP accounted for more than 50 percent of the total health expenditures in 2011 (NSCB n.d.).