SUMMARYThis study aims to evaluate the General Health Insurance System (GHIS) in Turkey implemented since 1 October 2008, in order to assess whether the GHIS will be able to achieve its objective of universal coverage. Both the breadth and depth of coverage will be taken into account.The study notes out that some socio‐economic problems, such as a significant informal economy, high unemployment rate, inefficiency in the creation of adequate employment opportunities, inequitable income distribution, and widespread poverty, are the main problems preventing the GHIS from reaching breadth of coverage in Turkey. Contribution conditions for entitlement to health services prevent the GHIS from providing breadth of coverage too. Out‐of‐pocket payments, which are higher than in European and OECD countries, narrow the depth of coverage, but the GHIS brings additional user fees.Statistics show that despite its objective, the GHIS struggles to provide universal coverage. It seems the GHIS will not be able to provide universal coverage in the near future because of the socio‐economic conditions and conditions for entitlement to health services.In this case the government will either introduce radical arrangements to cope with the socio‐economic problems and issues with the funding system or should consider switching from an insurance‐based system towards a tax‐based system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.