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Extending Health Insurance: Effects of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana

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  • Agar Brugiavini
  • Noemi Pace

Abstract

There is considerable interest in exploring the potential of health insurance to increase the access to, and the affordability of, health care in Africa. We focus on the recent experience of Ghana, where a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) became law in 2003 and fully implemented from late 2005. Even though there is some evidence of large coverage levels, the effect of the NHIS on health care demand and out-of-pocket expenditures has still not been fully examined. This paper is an attempt to close this gap. Using nationally-representative household data from the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, we find that the introduction of the NHIS has a positive and significant effect on the utilisation of health care services, although it does have only a weak effect on out-of-pocket expenditure.

Suggested Citation

  • Agar Brugiavini & Noemi Pace, 2011. "Extending Health Insurance: Effects of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana," RSCAS Working Papers 2011/27, European University Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:rsc:rsceui:2011/27
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Monica Lambon-Quayefio & Nkechi Owoo, 2014. "Examining the Influence of Antenatal Care Visits and Skilled Delivery on Neonatal Deaths in Ghana," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 12(5), pages 511-522, October.
    2. Heath, Rachel, 2017. "Fertility at work: Children and women's labor market outcomes in urban Ghana," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 190-214.
    3. Lisa Bagnoli, 2017. "Does National Health Insurance Improve Children's Health ?National and Regional Evidence from Ghana," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2017-03, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    4. Mawuli Gaddah & Alistair Munro, 2011. "The Progressivity Of Health Care Services In Ghana," GRIPS Discussion Papers 11-14, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies.
    5. Monica Lambon-Quayefio & Nkechi S. Owoo, 2017. "Determinants and the impact of the National Health Insurance on neonatal mortality in Ghana," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-16, December.
    6. Nkechi Owoo & Monica Lambon-Quayefio, 2013. "National health insurance, social influence and antenatal care use in Ghana," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 1-12, December.
    7. Gajate-Garrido, Gissele & Ahiadeke, Clement, 2015. "The effect of insurance enrollment on maternal and child health care utilization: The case of Ghana," IFPRI discussion papers 1495, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

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    Keywords

    Health insurance; out-of-pocket expenses; maternity care demand;
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