The Development of Health Insurance in Turkey and its Importance from the Point of View of Medical Ethics

Abstract

Health Insurance shows some periods in Turkey. After the foundation of the Turkish Republic, health insurance developed and had modern characteristics. Some problems are present in the relations between patient and physician in the health insurance today. In the period of Ottoman Empire, both religious social foundations and professional guilds helped poor patients. Some foreign insurance companies opened some bureaus in Turkey after 1850. The Law of Ottoman Insurance Company had come into force in 1892 (1). Afterwards, modern insurance laws were seen in the period of Turkish Republic.

Today, two kinds of health insurances are present in Turkey. One of them is the health insurance belonging to the Official Foundations. Another kind is the special health insurance (2). The persons who sign insurance policy with insurance companies should know some points. These are very important from the point of view of the ethical principles and the relations of patient-physician. In this paper, these subjects are stressed and some results are obtained.