Republic of Turkey has involved into a radical transformation in its social insurance system in the year 2008. Turkey’s social security reform is one of the milestones in the country’s history that has been embracing all the citizens with easy access to healthcare services since 2008.
The reform was one of the promises of then-Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan before 2007 general elections. He had pledged to provide equal health service for every Turkish citizen in 2006, and the new social security reform came into effect on Oct. 1, 2008.
The Turkish Social Security Reform of 2008 includes both pension system reform and public health insurance reform as a package. Within the scope of the public health insurance, everyone can choose any hospital, private or public since the introduction of the new system in 2006.
Social Insurances and General Health Insurance Act No. 5510 is a very important milestone in citizens’ access to health services in Turkey. Healthcare service outlays in Turkey are largely covered by public health insurance and citizens do not have to made large sums of out-of-pocket payments. As to compare with the USA’s healthcare system pre-Affordable Care Act, in the U.S., it is almost impossible to have access to health services for low-income families, families with children, pregnant, disabled and elderly people, without spending on their own or via private health insurance. Although the U.S. spends a huge sum of money for health services, the citizens are far from satisfied in terms of access to health services, when compared to Turkey.
Before the reform got effective in Turkey, the social security services were institutionalized under three categories, namely Social Security Administration (SSK), Pension Fund (ES) and Social Security Organization for Artisans and Self-Employed, (Bag-Kur). At that time, people were entitled to go to specific hospitals, even during emergency situations. With the reform all the social insurance bodies are unified into a single Social Security Institution and the system simplified.
With new social security reform, all Turkish citizens are covered and entitled to go to any health service place.
The social security package was considered one of the biggest reform packages in Turkey’s history and crucial changes have been made to reach all Turkish citizens with this law. With the reform of 2008 the system has obtained a sustainable financial base.
