“The global health landscape has shifted dramatically over the past year, driven by significant reductions in funding from the United States and other traditional donors. As leaders respond by reforming and reimagining global health, it is essential that health equity remains at the center of these efforts. Advancing universal health coverage is the most effective way to promote equity while ensuring quality, accessible, and affordable health care for all.”
Eliana Monteforte – Director of International Advocacy and Engagement at Global Health Council, United States
On the occasion of UHC Day 2025, under the theme “Unaffordable Health Costs? We’re Sick of It!”, Eliana Monteforte, Director of International Advocacy and Engagement at Global Health Council, United States, member of the CSEM Advisory Group and Civil Society Representative for the Global North on the UHC2030 Steering Committee – shared why advancing financial protection is essential to achieving universal health coverage, drawing attention to its human impact even in high-income settings, and outlined the urgent actions leaders must take now.
From your perspective, why is financial protection essential for advancing UHC in your context or area of work?
At a time of declining ODA, the global health sector risks narrowing its focus to individual diseases or health areas, further deepening silos. Advocating for and investing in universal health coverage (UHC) is the most effective way to ensure that all disease areas benefit, while simultaneously advancing health equity for all.
How does the lack of financial protection affect people’s access to health in your area of work?
Unaffordable health costs are not only a problem for low and middle income countries. In the USA, a high income country, health care costs have a profound human impact.
Many individuals in the US are forced to delay or forgo needed care, even for serious or chronic conditions due to their cost. Medical bills remain a leading cause of personal debt and bankruptcy, creating long-term financial insecurity for families. High out-of-pocket costs also exacerbate health inequities, disproportionately affecting low-income households, people of color, and those with chronic illnesses.
For many Americans, fear of medical costs adds stress and anxiety that directly undermines both physical and mental health.
What are the most urgent actions world leaders / national leaders must take to protect people from catastrophic and impoverishing health costs?
As leaders work to reform and reimagine the global health landscape, it is critical that health equity remains central to these efforts. We call on leaders to invest in primary health care, a vital stepping stone toward UHC, as it is the most effective way to ensure that all people have access to quality, affordable health care.
