The effect of Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme on health care utilisation

Ghana Med J. 2012 Jun;46(2):76-84.

Abstract

Objectives: The study investigates the effect of Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) on health care utilisation.

Methods: We provide a short history of health insurance in Ghana, and briefly discuss general patterns of enrolment in Ghana as well as in Accra in a first step. In a second step, we use data from the Women's Health Study of Accra wave II to evaluate the effect of insurance on health seeking behaviour using propensity score matching.

Results: We find that on average individuals enrolled in the insurance scheme are significantly more likely to obtain prescriptions, visit clinics and seek formal health care when sick.

Conclusion: These results suggest that the government's objective to increase access to the formal health care sector through health insurance has at least partially been achieved.

Keywords: Health insurance; health care utilisation; treatment differentials.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Delivery of Health Care / economics
  • Delivery of Health Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Ghana
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • National Health Programs / economics
  • National Health Programs / statistics & numerical data*
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Propensity Score
  • Socioeconomic Factors