This essay presents a study and an assessment of health reforms in former socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Former Soviet Union (FSU or CIS), hereafter former socialist economies (FSE). In the first part, it provides a synthetic picture of the health systems inherited from the communist regimes, and it presents the macro variations in health status, public health expenditure, private funding, etc…that occurred over the transition years. This first part draws together evidence from several studies and it is intended to provide an information basis for the subsequent analysis of the health reforms. In the second part, the paper critically assesses the main health reforms implemented over the last decade in several FSE. Finally, it illustrates a few suggestions to move ahead in the reform process on the basis of the lessons learned.