How to Reduce Out-of-Pocket Payments in the Health Sector in Moldova?

Out-of-pocket payments (OOPs) are direct (at the point of service) financial contributions or co-payments by patients and their families associated with consumption of medical products (such as medicines) and/or services. They can be formal as well as informal payments. Together with taxation, social and private health insurance contributions, they constitute the main sources of financing for medical products and services in all countries of the world. This policy note looks at prevalence and trends of OOPs in Moldova during 2007-2013, evaluates their impact on the population's economic well-being (section two), identifies key drivers of the current OOPs (section three), and, based on the analysis, suggests several policy options for government's consideration (section four)