Sustainable Private Health Insurance in Asia

Across many Asian markets, medical cost inflation has been significantly outpacing general price inflation, placing pressure on household affordability, fiscal sustainability for governments, and financial stability for insurers. What was once viewed as a longer-term challenge is now becoming a near-term issue in several jurisdictions.

This paper, authored by GAIP external expert Craig Thorburn, examines how private health insurance can continue to support health financing while maintaining system stability. Drawing on discussions with market participants and government authorities across Asia, as well as input from GAIP partners and working groups, it proposes six principles for sustainable health insurance systems — spanning the recognition of private insurance's role, incentive alignment across the value chain, the careful management of social policy constraints, and the enabling conditions for technology adoption and data sharing.

The paper also draws on case studies from Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Brunei, illustrating how different jurisdictions are navigating rising medical costs and evolving policy responses.

Download the paper