THE IMPACT OF MUTUAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME ON ACCESS AND QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE IN NORTHERN GHANA: THE CASE OF KASSENA-NANKANA EAST SCHEME

Abstract

This study examines the Impact of Mutual Health Insurance on Access and Quality of Health Care for the Rural Poor in Northern Ghana. The practical interest in Mutual Health Insurance is occasioned by the fact that many developing countries including Ghana are exploring new and innovative ways of dealing with the difficult issues of health care financing and access to health care especially for the rural poor. Using household surveys and focus group discussions, the study establishes that Mutual Health Insurance improves the poor access to health care as the insured use nearly 3 times of health facilities more than the uninsured. The insured equally pay relatively lower out-of-pocket fees than the uninsured at the point of demanding health care. Households with higher incomes generally enrol in health insurance while the poorest segment of the community risk being excluded because they cannot afford the insurance premiums. It is recommended that since the flat rate nature of insurance premiums is what prevents majority of households from enrolling in health insurance, the premiums could be made more flexible for the rural poor.