Addiction to a bad idea, especially in low- and middle-income countries: Contributory health insurance. (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yazbeck, Abdo S.; Soucat, Agnes L.; Tandon, Ajay; Cashin, Cheryl; Kutzin, Joseph; Watson, Julia; Thomson, Sarah; Nguyen, Son Nam; Evetovits, Tamas
• Is Part Of: Social science & medicine. Volume 320(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: Health Insurance -- Health financing; Social medicine -- Periodicals; Medical anthropology -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine sociale -- Périodiques; Anthropologie médicale -- Périodiques; Santé publique -- Périodiques; Psychologie -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115168
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0277-9536

Abstract

Abstract: Despite limited evidence of successful development and implementation of contributory health insurance and low and middle income countries, many countries are in the process implementing such schemes. This commentary summarizes all available evidence on the limitations of contributory health insurance including the lack of good theoretical underpinning and the considerable evidence of inequity and fragmentation created by such schemes. Moreover, the initiation of a contributory health insurance scheme has not been found to increase revenues to the health sector or help health countries achieve universal health coverage. Low and middle income countries can improve equity and efficiency of the health sector by replacing out-of-pocket spending with pre-paid pooling mechanisms, but that is best done through budget transfers and not by contributory insurance that links payment to sub-population entitlements.