Neoliberalism and Its Discontents: Impact of Health Reforms in Chile (World IN REVIEW‪)‬

Chile has often been regarded as a model for the rest of Latin America. With the highest human development index in Latin America according to the United Nations Development Program, Chile has emerged from the Pinochet years as a modern and stable middle-income country. The success of Chile has often been touted as a result of the "Miracle of Chile," the deregulation and neoliberal economic policies of the military dictatorship. Compared to countries with similar gross national product, Chile also has good health indicators, but questions remain if this was due to Chile's high economic growth rate and dramatic reduction in poverty or due to the privatization of its health insurance system in the 1980s. With the institution of the health reforms of President Lagos in 2004, Chile explicitly guaranteed health care for a list of conditions for the first time. Although neoliberalism has dominated the narrative of Chile, Chile's legacy of social protection may also explain the trajectory of its health reforms, and both narratives must be considered if Chile is to serve as an example for other developing countries. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]