title: Universal health coverage and litigation in Latin America.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Over the last five years many middle-income Latin American countries have seen a steep increase in the number of cases litigating access to curative services. The purpose of this paper is to explore this complex phenomenon and outline some of its roots and impacts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors use an interdisciplinary approach based on a literature review and workshops convened to discuss the issue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A range of reasons can explain this increased legal activity. These include: a renewed judicial approach to the enforcement of the right to health; a more demanding public interest; an increased prevalence of non communicable diseases; and limited capacity for fair benefit package.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings in this paper argue for the need to incorporate a rights-based approach to health policy as a foundation of societal efforts to achieve universal health coverage in Latin America.
authors.affiliation: World Bank Institute Health Systems Practice, Washington, DC, USA. lcubillosturriag@worldbank.org
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cubillos
authors.forename: Maria-Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Escobar
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pavlovic
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iunes
mesh_terms: D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D019472:Universal Health Insurance / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*