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Immigrants’ Access to Health Insurance: No Equality without Awareness

Author

Listed:
  • Dagmar Dzúrová

    (Department of Social Geography and Regional Development, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, Prague 128 43, Czech Republic)

  • Petr Winkler

    (Prague Psychiatric Centre, Department of Social Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health, Ustavni 91, Prague 181 03, Czech Republic)

  • Dušan Drbohlav

    (Department of Social Geography and Regional Development, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, Prague 128 43, Czech Republic)

Abstract

The Czech government has identified commercial health insurance as one of the major problems for migrants’ access to health care. Non-EU immigrants are eligible for public health insurance only if they have employee status or permanent residency. The present study examined migrants’ access to the public health insurance system in Czechia. A cross-sectional survey of 909 immigrants from Ukraine and Vietnam was conducted in March and May 2013, and binary logistic regression was applied in data analysis. Among immigrants entitled to Czech public health insurance due to permanent residency/asylum, 30% were out of the public health insurance system, and of those entitled by their employment status, 50% were out of the system. Migrants with a poor knowledge of the Czech language are more likely to remain excluded from the system of public health insurance. Instead, they either remain in the commercial health insurance system or they simultaneously pay for both commercial and public health insurance, which is highly disadvantageous. Since there are no reasonable grounds to stay outside the public health insurance, it is concluded that it is lack of awareness that keeps eligible immigrants from entering the system. It is suggested that no equal access to health care exists without sufficient awareness about health care system.

Suggested Citation

  • Dagmar Dzúrová & Petr Winkler & Dušan Drbohlav, 2014. "Immigrants’ Access to Health Insurance: No Equality without Awareness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-10, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:11:y:2014:i:7:p:7144-7153:d:38093
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hynek Pikhart & Dusan Drbohlav & Dagmar Dzurova, 2010. "The self-reported health of legal and illegal/irregular immigrants in the Czech Republic," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 55(5), pages 401-411, October.
    2. Cathy Zimmerman & Ligia Kiss & Mazeda Hossain, 2011. "Migration and Health: A Framework for 21st Century Policy-Making," Working Papers id:4174, eSocialSciences.
    3. Cathy Zimmerman & Ligia Kiss & Mazeda Hossain, 2011. "Migration and Health: A Framework for 21st Century Policy-Making," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(5), pages 1-7, May.
    4. Mladovsky, Philipa, 2009. "A framework for analysing migrant health policies in Europe," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 93(1), pages 55-63, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dušan Drbohlav & Dagmar Dzúrová, 2017. "Social Hazards as Manifested Workplace Discrimination and Health (Vietnamese and Ukrainian Female and Male Migrants in Czechia)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Sopak Supakul & Pichaya Jaroongjittanusonti & Prangkhwan Jiaranaisilawong & Romruedee Phisalaphong & Tetsuya Tanimoto & Akihiko Ozaki, 2023. "Access to Healthcare Services among Thai Immigrants in Japan: A Study of the Areas Surrounding Tokyo," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(13), pages 1-13, July.
    3. Hübner, Wiebke & Phillimore, Jenny & Bradby, Hannah & Brand, Tilman, 2023. "Assessing the contribution of migration related policies to equity in access to healthcare in European countries. A multilevel analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 321(C).

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