Going universal? The problem of the uninsured in Europe and in OECD countries

Purpose The aim of this article is to address the following questions: (1) Which OECD (The Organization for Economic Co‐operation and Development) and EU countries guarantee health insurance coverage to the entire population and which, conversely, leave part of the resident population without coverage?, (2) How many people do not have health coverage, and what are their characteristics? and (3) Within the OECD and the EU, is there actually a trend toward universal population coverage? Findings Approximately one third of OECD and European Union countries do not ensure health insurance coverage to the entire population. At present, the uninsured in European Union countries totals more than seven million people. Considering all 36 OECD countries, the uninsured reach almost 48 million. Conclusion The diachronic analysis shows that, from the 1970s to present day, the percentage of the uninsured in OECD member countries has gradually decreased. Conversely, in EU countries, the tendency toward universalism shows a fluctuating trend. Until the mid‐90s, the number of uninsured decreased. However, a trend reversal took place and the number of uninsured started to rise again from the second half of the 1990s. The number of individuals without insurance coverage is currently 2‐fold higher than the figure recorded before the outbreak of the great financial crisis.