The other day I posted a message about this 10 year old boy who's parents do not have 100.000 DR Pesos to pay for an operation that will save his eye sight. I wonder if this is not something that a health insurance would normally cover, if a health insurance system works well.

I know in most developed countries (exept for the USA) every citizen is obliged to pay a monthly health insurance fee. Nobody is exempted, not the poor, not the jobless people, although people that earn below a certain income threshold can apply for a subsidized health insurance, which is about 50% cheaper than the regular one.

For each month of the year that people go about uninsured, they get a harsh fine. This way insurance companies can collect sufficient money to make their business profitable. Each person is insured for the most necessary and basic health costs and the health system can maintain itsself... It is a way of making money roll.

Now I wonder, doesn't the newly adopted SFS (Seguro Familial de Salud) work that way?

One will have to see after it comes into effect on 1.9.2008.

m'frog