OBJECTIVES: Policy of implementing low prices for pharmaceuticals and medical devices aims to ensure affordability and accessibility of healthcare products for the population. The aim of this study is to analyze the change in the budgets of the Social Security Institution (SGK) and General Health Insurance (GHI) in Turkiye between 2020-2021-2022 and the factors affecting this change.

METHODS: The data for this study were obtained from official sources, including the SGK and the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, specifically the data published for the year 2022. The analysis was conducted using Microsoft Excel. Key variables examined in the study included the number of applications to state, university, and private hospitals, the number of invoices, the number of prescriptions, the total SGK budget, and the actual health expenditures for the years 2020, 2021, and 2022. Changes in these variables over time were analyzed.

RESULTS: According to the analysis, number of applications increased by 20% in 2021 compared to 2020, while amount of application invoices increased by 38%. In 2021, number of prescriptions increased by 19% and amount of prescription invoices increased by 26% compared to 2020. Number of applications increased by 25% in 2022 compared to 2021, while amount of application invoices increased by 57%. In 2022, number of prescriptions increased by 13% and amount of prescription invoices increased by 68% compared to 2021. When health expenditures and collected premiums by SGK are examined, it is seen that there were 27 billion TL, 13 billion TL and 30 billion TL budget surplus in 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: The analysis demonstrates that the SGK has experienced budget surpluses in recent years, with the highest surplus observed in 2022. This can be attributed to the low-price policy implemented for pharmaceuticals and medical devices, which has resulted in cost savings for the SGK.