J Korean Acad Rehabil Med.  2004 Jun;28(3):195-203.

Health Care System for the Persons with Disabilities in Developed Countries and Opening of the Health Care Market

• Lee BS

Abstract

In Korea, the need of medical care is high in persons with disabilities. But the health care system, especially the continuum of long-term rehabilitation care for the persons with disabilities is not well established. Under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), the pressure to open up the health care market has been increased in Korea. This article examines the health care system of developed countries (USA, UK and Japan) with review of the health policies, laws, income security and pensions, payment systems, medical rehabilitation facilities, and home health services for the persons with disabilities. And this article also discusses the process of the health care market opening in Korea, the debating issues, the implications for the domestic medical market, and the matter of concern in rehabilitation medicine field. In the viewpoint of the rehabilitation medicine, the transitional services and home health services for the persons with disabilities should be prepared, and the public health should be expanded as the social network of the persons with disabilities, before the health care market is fully opened up.

Keyword

Health care system; Persons with disabilities; General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS); Market opening

MeSH Terms

Delivery of Health Care*
Developed Countries*
Disabled Persons*
Health Care Sector*
Health Policy
Health Services
Humans
Jurisprudence
Korea
Pensions
Public Health
Rehabilitation