The problems within the health care systems of western European countries, and their current attempts at reform, can be analyzed by comparing those countries having national health care service (NHS) systems with those having social security systems. There are important differences in the structures, processes, and outcomes of these two types of health care systems, and thus in the problems they face. Greater cost control, equity, and, possibly, efficiency in improving the population's health are the advantages of NHS systems; however, public satisfaction is lower than in social security systems. Attempts to overcome this trade-off between the outcomes of the two types of health care systems are the main goal of the reforms. To achieve this goal, there has been a trend toward convergence of NHS and social security systems. For the NHS systems of Latin-rim countries, however, which have received less political commitment and public support than those elsewhere, this means a return to the former social security systems--a trend that may reintroduce the problems associated with these types of systems but without any evidence that public satisfaction will increase.