Economics and justice: the ethical aspects of inequity or inequality in health care.

Inequality in access to health care exists under a variety of aspects in different parts of the world. In the USA, the absence of universal health insurance leaves 15% of the population, including 12 million children, unprotected. Managed care and health maintenance organisations (HMOs) tend to further deepen this inequality. In Europe, where state-regulated Social Security covers most of the population, welfare policies affect income-related inequalities leaving others untouched, namely inequalities related to family history, education and occupation. In developing countries, poverty is the main cause of inaccessibility to health care and both internal structural reforms and international support could contribute to alleviating such an appalling injustice.