In the Master's thesis, we address the accessibility of health care for vulnerable social groups in the Republic of Slovenia and point out that the health care system, which is nominally organised according to the principle of universal health care, often overlooks individuals from the margins of society. The main focus is on the analysis of the accessibility of the healthcare system, starting with the historical development of the healthcare system in the territory of today's Slovenia since the Second World War. This is followed by an analysis of the legislation in force, in particular the Health Care and Health Insurance Act, which is the cornerstone of access to health insurance and thus access to most health services. In this context, we highlight the criteria for inclusion in the insurance system, which include working activity and permanent residence in the Republic of Slovenia. We focus in particular on how homeless people, migrants and precarious workers access health care in practice, analysing also the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on increasing their vulnerability. We conclude the work with an overview of alternative forms of access to healthcare, such as pro bono clinics. We find systemic gaps and show how the legal framework, ignorance of health system regulation and complex procedures exclude the vulnerable groups in question, which is supported by an analysis of access to health care for selected vulnerable groups. We also find that the word "universal" in universal health care is a letter on a piece of paper that excludes certain social groups with less power.
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