Health systems can be structured in various ways. This article presents the main forms of health risk coverage: out-of-pocket payments, private insurance, social insurance, and tax-based financing. These forms are discussed with regard to their constitutive characteristics. Subsequently, public instruments for governance in the healthcare sector are outlined. The needs of people with chronic illnesses are briefly addressed. The conclusion is that public security systems should be preferred over private insurance or self-payment as the preferred forms of coverage.