Social health insurance reform in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina during transition

The aim of this study is to review the major steps of the process of reform in the social health insurance in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the period of transition from the socialist system of former Yugoslavia to the concept of the free market economy after the war. The analysis of the process of reform in the health financing highlights the following domains of the health care system: policy choices and constitutional background; organizational design of health insurance funds and administrative compliance; available resources and contribution rates; risk equalization scheme; contracting process and health care provider-purchaser split; methods of payment to health care providers; basic benefit package; cost-containment methods; regulating the health insurance market and health care providers; privatization process; and the lessons learned.