A Health Care Reform of the Health Care System in Saudi Arabia: Proposing a National Health Insurance System

Abstract

The goal of this dissertation is to improve health care delivery by facilitating access to health care services in Saudi Arabia. Doing so requires exploring the current structure of the health care system in Saudi Arabia and assessing the availability, accessibility, and quality of health care services based on a detailed review of studies, surveys, research, and articles. In order to improve a health system, an examination of health studies and health care systems in other countries is necessary. Therefore, this dissertation will examine, in detail, other experiences related to health care systems in other countries. Also, this dissertation will examine, in detail, three health studies that present various critical factors that are necessary when considering the reform of a health care system. The first study examines technical efficiency and its impact on health systems. The study discusses the significance of health inputs and outputs and how the factors used and measurement criteria affect results. Several countries were examined in order to illustrate the authors’ findings, which include the fact that supply must be compatible with demand and visa versa, health resources contribute to increasing efficiency, and efficiency depends upon the management of allocated health care resources. The study concludes with suggestions on ways to enhance efficiency, such as utilizing price control strategies, monitoring health systems, and increasing the attention paid to public welfare. The second study discusses the issues that prevent the United States’ health system from achieving efficiency, including high administrative expenses, a variety of coverages, and the heterogeneity in access to health care. This study suggests that applying a uniform health insurance system will increase effectiveness and reduce costs. The third study discusses health-financing mechanisms; in particular, the authors present financial suggestions, including premium collection mechanisms. Based on the analysis and evaluation of these studies, this dissertation offers several solutions for the development of the health care system in Saudi Arabia, the implementation of which will benefit the individual and the government. The dissertation concludes with a proposal for a national health insurance system that presents suggestions to improve the health system in various areas with regard to financing, private sector initiatives, regulatory actions, and administrative measures.