Community Health Insurance Schemes in India and Their Impact on Health Costs
Author Information
Author(s): Devadasan Narayanan, Criel Bart, Van Damme Wim, Ranson Kent, Van der Stuyft Patrick
Primary Institution: Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, SCTIMST, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Hypothesis
Do community health insurance schemes protect households from catastrophic health expenditure?
Conclusion
Community health insurance schemes can significantly reduce the incidence of catastrophic health expenditure among hospitalised patients.
Supporting Evidence
- 67% of patients at ACCORD did not have to make any out-of-pocket payment for their hospital expenses.
- 34% of patients at SEWA did not have to make any out-of-pocket payment for their hospital expenses.
- 4% of households at ACCORD and 23% at SEWA still experienced catastrophic health expenditure despite insurance.
Takeaway
Health insurance helps families pay for medical bills, so they don't have to spend all their money when they get sick. This study shows that two health insurance programs in India helped many families save money.
Methodology
The study reviewed insurance claims from two community health insurance schemes, ACCORD and SEWA, analyzing hospital admissions and out-of-pocket payments.
Potential Biases
The reliance on proxy data for household income at ACCORD may introduce bias in estimating catastrophic health expenditure.
Limitations
The study only assessed hospitalisation expenses, potentially underestimating the true incidence of catastrophic health expenditure.
Participant Demographics
Participants included insured households from two community health insurance schemes in India, with a median age of patients being 21 years at ACCORD and 36 years at SEWA.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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