Customer Satisfaction in Health Insurance: Evidence from India

Health care is a universally considered as a merit good sector as most countries either have a universal health care system or a universal insurance system. India has been following a hybrid system where predominantly the health logistics and health care have been provided by the State and Central government. From a fledgling beginning with Employees' State Insurance Corporate (ESIC) (1952) and Central Government health Scheme (CGHS) (1954), India has come a long way where it has witnessed a plethora of health insurance programs. The latest addition has been the Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance Scheme, which promises to cover 10 crore families with an insurance coverage of 5 lakh. This study tries to compare the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) of Government Sponsored Health Insurance scheme with Private Health Insurance alternatives. It has studied two cities (Bhubaneswar and Cuttack) of Odisha, by taking a sample of 400. The Composite Satisfaction Index has taken four parameters viz. value for money (VFM), affordability, claim settlement process and claim settlement amount, to have a comparative picture of the overall satisfaction level. The broad findings are that the overall satisfaction level of government sponsored schemes is significantly higher than the private schemes; largely due to the higher cost of the private insurance scheme. The study does not take into account variables like age, number of dependents, education etc. for arriving the satisfaction index. All the same, it shows broad trends as to how due to high cost of premium and processing hassles, the private insurance schemes have not been able to become the preferred option for those below poverty line and low income groups.

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Factors Affecting Utilization of the National Health Insurance Scheme by Federal Civil Servants in Rivers State, Nigeria

INQUIRY The Journal of Health Care Organization Provision and Financing ◽

10.1177/00469580211017626 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 58 ◽

pp. 004695802110176

Author(s):

Obelebra Adebiyi ◽

Foluke Olukemi Adeniji

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Insurance ◽

National Health Insurance ◽

National Health ◽

National Health Insurance Scheme ◽

Health Workers ◽

Civil Servants ◽

Health Insurance Scheme ◽

Insurance Scheme ◽

Rivers State

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) of Nigeria was established in 2005. This study assessed the utilization of health care and associated factors amongst the federal civil servants using the NHIS in Rivers state. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using self-administered questionnaires. Data were collated and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. A Chi-square test was carried out. The level of Confidence was set at 95%, and the P-value ≤ .05. Out of a total of 334 respondents, 280 (83.8%) were enrolled for NHIS, 203 (72.5%) utilized the services of the scheme. Most 181 (82.1%) of the respondents who utilized visited the facility at least once in the preceding year. Although, 123 (43.9%) of the respondents made payments at a point of access to health care services, overall there was a reduction in out of pocket payment. Possession of NHIS card, the attitude of health workers, and patients’ satisfaction were found to significantly affect utilization P ≤ .05. Regression analysis shows age and income to be a predictor of utilization of the NHIS. Though utilization is high, effort should be made to remove payment at the point of access and improving the harsh attitude of some of the health workers.

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COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME IN A RURAL COMMUNITY OF NORTH WEST NIGERIA: A ROADMAP TO ACHIEVING UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE.

Kanem Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.36020/kjms.2020.1402.004 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 125-130

Author(s):

Lawal A ◽

◽

Gobir AA ◽

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Insurance ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Health Insurance Scheme ◽

Willingness To Participate ◽

Insurance Scheme ◽

Community Based ◽

Quality Health Care ◽

Community Based Health Insurance ◽

Care Services

Background: Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) scheme is aimed at reducing out of pocket spending on health care services, ensuring final risk protection to all, especially the poor and the most vulnerable, improvement of quality of health care services, access and utilization as well as the promotion of equity. Objective: This research was aimed at determining willingness to participate in a community-based health insurance scheme among rural households in Katsina State. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in December 2016 among households of Batagarawa LGA, Katsina State. We used a pre-tested, electronic, semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire to obtain data from households that were selected using a multistage sampling technique and we analyzed the data using STATA version 13. Results: Most, (28.5%) of the respondents were in the age range of 30-39 years with a mean age of 35.5 years. Males were the dominant household heads (93%). Most were married (90%). Most, (90.5%) of households were willing to pay for a community-based health insurance scheme with a median premium of 100 Naira per household member per month. Conclusions: The high proportion of households willing to pay for the scheme should inform the decision of policy makers to design and maintain Community Based Health Insurance Scheme to improve access to and utilization of quality health care services.

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Narrowing the Gap of Inequity in the Indonesia’s National Social Health Insurance Scheme, 2014-2018

10.21203/rs.3.rs-620310/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hasbullah Thabrany ◽

Ryan R. Nugraha ◽

Ery Setiawan ◽

Farah Purwaningrum

Keyword(s):

Health Insurance ◽

National Health Insurance ◽

Universal Health Coverage ◽

Low Income ◽

National Health Insurance Scheme ◽

Income Group ◽

Health Insurance Scheme ◽

Health Coverage ◽

Insurance Scheme ◽

Universal Health

Abstract Background. Indonesia is nearing its 7-year implementation of its national health insurance scheme, or the Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (JKN), as a facilitator for achieving universal health coverage (UHC). Despite its long-running system, it is contentious as to whether JKN has been narrowing the gap of inequity in its delivery. This paper aims to explore on whether the national health insurance scheme in Indonesia have been promoting equity of access towards health services.Methods. This study analyzes findings from JKN statistic data of 2014-2018 published by Government of Indonesia. Using a retrospective design, this study identified membership and utilization of health services within JKN, based on different membership enrollment groups as proxy for income.Results. JKN has been expanding its enrollment significantly within 5 years, during year 2014 to 2018. Moreover, the study concludes that there was increased access for outpatient in all membership groups. Inpatient care was increased in low-income group, but not in high-income group. Result also showed inpatient access was correlated with adequate supply side intervention, particularly hospital beds.Conclusion. JKN has been successful in narrowing the inequity gap, particularly by serving the low-income group better in terms of access. Going forward, equity needs to be incorporated into JKN achievement indicator, particularly to accelerate Indonesia’s effort to realize universal health coverage.

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Ghana’s Journey towards Universal Health Coverage: The Role of the National Health Insurance Scheme

European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education ◽

10.3390/ejihpe10010009 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 94-109 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kipo-Sunyehzi ◽

Amogre Ayanore ◽

Dzidzonu ◽

Ayalsuma Yakubu

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Insurance ◽

National Health Insurance ◽

National Health ◽

Universal Health Coverage ◽

National Health Insurance Scheme ◽

Health Insurance Scheme ◽

Health Coverage ◽

Insurance Scheme ◽

Universal Health

: Background: the main aim of the study is to find if the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Ghana is achieving universal health coverage (UHC) or not. The study gives the trajectories of health policies in Ghana and their implications on long term health financing. NHIS in Ghana was implemented in 2004, with the aim of increasing subscribers’ access to health care services and reduce financial barriers to health care. On equity access to healthcare, it addresses two core concerns: (1) enrolling particular groups (persons exempted from annual premium payments) and (2) achieving UHC for all citizens and persons with legal residence. It utilizes a multifactor approach to the conceptualization of UHC. The research question: is Ghana’s NHIS on course to deliver or achieve universal health coverage? Methods: we used qualitative methods. In doing so, the study engaged participants in in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and direct observations of participants in their natural settings, like hospitals, clinics, offices and homes, with purposive and snowball techniques. This data triangulation approach aims to increase the reliability and validity of findings. Results: the empirical evidence shows NHIS performed relatively well in enrolling more exempt groups (particular groups) than enrolling all persons in Ghana (UHC). The biggest challenge for the implementation of NHIS from the perspectives of health insurance officials is inadequate funding. The health insurance beneficiaries complained of delays during registrations and renewals. They also complained of poor attitude of some health insurance officials and health workers at facilities. Conclusions: both health insurance officials and beneficiaries emphasized the need for increased public education and for implementers to adopt a friendly attitude towards clients. To move towards achieving UHC, there is a need to redesign the policy, to move it from current voluntary contributions, to adopt a broad tax-based approach to cover all citizens and persons with legal residence in Ghana. Also, to adopt a flexible premium payment system (specifically ‘payments by installation’ or ‘part payments’) and widen the scope of exempt groups as a way of enrolling more into the NHIS.

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