Publication Date
Spring 2025
Abstract
Introduction: As populations age and the burden of neurological conditions rises, equitable access to neurorehabilitation has emerged as a critical yet under-addressed component of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This comparative study examines how healthcare structures in the United States, Switzerland, and China shape neurorehabilitation equity. Methods: This analysis combines semi-structured interviews with seven healthcare experts (neurorehabilitation clinicians, health economists, and scholars) and a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, and demographic data. Results: In the U.S., fragmented insurance models and high out-of-pocket costs disproportionately limit access for low-income and rural populations. Switzerland’s universal coverage masks the inequities driven by uneven financial incentive between acute and long-term care, urban-centric resource allocation, and referral mandates. Despite recent reforms, China’s hybrid healthcare system struggles with hospital-centric resource concentration, varying policy implementation, and rehabilitation workforce gaps, particularly exacerbating urban-rural divides. Across all three, technology innovations like telerehabilitation offer promising potentials alleviating disparities, but are hindered by infrastructure gaps, digital literacy barriers, and cultural traditions. Conclusion: The findings underscore that financial systems, care-delivery hierarchies, and technology adoptions need to be aligned with UHC principles to alleviate neurorehabilitation gaps. The study proposes targeted policy reforms, including adjusting reimbursement schemes, easing referral mandates, and investing in digital infrastructure implementation, to inform global strategies for inclusive, sustainable rehabilitation care.
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Lu, Linyue, "Comparative Analyses of Neurorehabilitation Regulations and Health Equity in the U.S., Switzerland, and China: Implications for Universal Health Coverage" (2025). Switzerland: Global Health and Development Policy. 9.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/szh2/9