List of countries with universal health care

List of countries with universal health care

Government-guaranteed health care for all citizens of a country, sometimes called <a href="/en/Universal_health_care" title="Universal health care" class="wl">universal health care</a>, is a broad concept that has been implemented in several ways. The common denominator for all such programs is some form of government action aimed at broadly extending access to health care and setting minimum standards. Most implement universal health care through legislation, regulation, and taxation. Legislation and regulation direct what care must be provided, to whom, and on what basis.

The logistics of such health care systems vary by country. Some programs are paid for entirely out of tax revenues. In others, tax revenues are used either to fund insurance for the very poor or for those needing long-term chronic care. In some cases such as the UK, government involvement also includes directly managing the <a href="/en/Health_care_system" title="Health care system" class="mw-redirect wl">health care system</a>, but many countries use mixed public-private systems to deliver universal health care. Alternatively, much of the provision of care can be contracted from the private sector, as in the case of Canada and France. In some instances, such as in Italy and Spain, both these realities may exist at the same time. The government may provide universal health insurance in the form of a social insurance plan that is affordable by all citizens, such as in the case of Germany and Taiwan, although private insurance may provide supplemental coverage to the public health plan. In twenty-five European countries, universal healthcare entails a government-regulated network of private insurance companies.<a href="#cite_note-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;">[1]</a><a href="#cite_note-2" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 2;">[2]</a>

As of 2021, Brazil is the only country where any individual within the state’s jurisdiction is eligible to receive free 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.<a href="#cite_note-3" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 3;">[3]</a>



Government-guaranteed health care for all citizens of a country, sometimes called universal health care, is a broad concept that has been implemented in several ways. The common denominator for all such programs is some form of government action aimed at broadly extending access to health care and setting minimum standards. Most implement universal health care through legislation, regulation, and taxation. Legislation and regulation direct what care must be provided, to whom, and on what basis. The logistics of such health care systems vary by country. Some programs are paid for entirely out of tax revenues. In others, tax revenues are used either to fund insurance for the very poor or for those needing long-term chronic care. In some cases such as the UK, government involvement also includes directly managing the health care system, but many countries use mixed public-private systems to deliver universal health care. Alternatively, much of the provision of care can be contracted from the private sector, as in the case of Canada and France. In some instances, such as in Italy and Spain, both these realities may exist at the same time. The government may provide universal health insurance in the form of a social insurance plan that is affordable by all citizens, such as in the case of Germany and Taiwan, although private insurance may provide supplemental coverage to the public health plan.  In twenty-five European countries, universal healthcare entails a government-regulated network of private insurance companies. As of 2021, Brazil is the only country where any individual within the state’s jurisdiction is eligible to receive free 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. 