Medical Services Accessibility and the Risks of Medical Poverty for the Ukraine Population During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The risk of falling into the impoverished segments of the population due to illness and medical expenses remains a significant issue for healthcare systems and social support in many countries, and Ukraine is no exception. One of the consequences of the coronavirus crisis has been changes in the socio-economic status and employment status in the labor market—in the first months of the pandemic, thousands of employed individuals lost their jobs, sources of income, and means of subsistence. This negatively impacted the population's consumer abilities and food security, while the imposed quarantine restrictions not only altered the pace of life but also limited access to various social services, primarily healthcare. Therefore, this chapter envisages: (1) an overview of the situation regarding the accessibility of medical services for the population of Ukraine as a whole and during the two waves of the coronavirus crisis in 2020 and 2021; (2) an analysis of household healthcare expenditures and the risk of poverty due to catastrophic medical expenses; (3) an assessment of the impact of social support for the population during the pandemic (including government funding for the treatment of COVID-19 patients) on the well-being and financial security of Ukraine's population concerning illnesses.