Financing of dental health care in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Financing dental health care in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (F BH) over the last 10 years was analyzed with respect to time before the war , during the 1992-1995 war, and after the war. In the first period (until 1 991) the system was centralized, well structured, financed through the comm unities of interest, and burdened with a lack of financial discipline and h igh inflation. By the end of 1991, all citizens in the territory of BH Fede ration had the right to dental health insurance and participated in the pri ce of dental service with 10-50%. During the 1992-1995 war, insurance and f inancial institutions ceased their work until the establishment of civilian governing authorities. The system of dental services was legalized within the health system as its integral part, yet, because of insufficient financ ial support, the rights of the insured were not fulfilled. Following the Da yton Peace Agreement in 1995, two systems (Croat and Muslim) were in functi on in FBH, each based on different legal grounds, and dental care stagnated considerably. The 1997 FBH Law on Health Care and Health Insurance and the Law on the Privatization of companies introduced a unique health system, w idening the sources of financing and categories of health insurance. The pr ocess of health care privatization has been legalized, but not yet implemen ted. Lack of definitions of ownership diminish foreign investments, and wit hout foreign financial support the improvements will be slower than needs. The process of health care restructuring will thus directly depend on the s olving the political crisis in the country.