The National Health Policy for International Migrants in Chile, 2014–17

Abstract

Abstract At the global level, the equal recognition of migrant rights is among the most important challenges for modern society. This chapter aims to analyse the formulation and implementation processes of the National Health Policy for International Migrants in Chile (NHPIM), as well as its short-term results, from 2014 to 2017. It is based on a review of the literature on and deriving from the consultative processes performed in communities with high mobility and residency rates for international migrants, and key documents related to the Policy. It analyses public sector health coverage from the National Health Fund of Chile (Fondo Nacional de Salud, or FONASA), health service usage, and fulfilment of health needs, comparing the general Chilean population to the migrant population in Chile using data from the National Socioeconomic Characterization Survey (CASEN Survey) from 2013, 2015 and 2017.

The formulation of the NHPIM was a response to evidence generated through consultation and social participation. It eliminated legislative and legal barriers, and favoured financial protection through coverage by FONASA. Over the period analysed, the number of migrants with FONASA coverage doubled (from 243,000 to 506,000); the rate of healthcare service usage increased (from 0.81 to 1.36 per 100 migrants); the rate of hospital discharges remained steady (3.2 per 100 migrants), although the net number of discharges doubled; and the proportion of migrant hospital discharges without FONASA coverage fell from 25.5 per cent to 7.8 per cent. The protection of the right to health for international migrants in Chile is a prime example of the effective translation of political discourse into concrete social practice.