Universal Coverage (UC) generally aims at establishing equal rights in access to
health care as well as equal quality of care obtained by the patients, irrespective of
income group or socio-economic status. Considering the experiences of health care
reforms in developed countries, UC can be seen as a means to procure sufficient
protection for patients against costly medical expenses by securing accessibility
to needed health care at affordable prices and, therefore, as a necessary attempt
to improve the health outcomes of the population. In UC, two dimensions of
coverage are incorporated – population coverage (health care for all) and health care
coverage (adequate health care). Even if UC is believed to promote access to health
care with the focus on vulnerable groups, completion of the coverage over the
whole population, nevertheless, does not guarantee adequate and equitable health
care coverage.