RESUMO
Introduction: Health care financing is the mobilization of funds for health care services. This study determined the various sources of health care financing among the patients on admission at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH); Shika-Zaria in 2011 and the effects of the medical bills on the patients and their family members. Methodology: A multi-staged sampling technique was used to select 100 clients for the study. The clients were stratified into the four major wards of the ABUTH; the medical; surgical; obstetrical and gynecological and the pediatric wards. A total of 25 clients were equally allocated to each ward and these were then selected by balloting. Information was sought on their socio-demographic characteristics; sources of the health care financing and the adverse effects of the medical bills on the patients and their family members. Results: Majority of the clients were married; Hausa Muslim housewives who earned N5;000/month (less 1 $/day). Most were aged between 20 and 29 (34) with a mean age of 36.7 years. Patients' relatives paid for the medical bill in most of the cases (48); 37 paid through out of pocket; while 11 used the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) respectively. The medical expenses affected family feeding (29.3); while 16 of the patients could not get full medical services due to lack of funds; 8.8 could not pay school fees of their children and 12.2 were indebted. There were no significant association between the age; sex; marital status; monthly income; occupational status and the clients' sources of health care financing. Majority of the clients (65) were not aware of the NHIS. Most (80) of the patients would want to use the health insurance scheme (NHIS) if they have access to the opportunity. Conclusions: The main source of health care financing in this tertiary center was through out of pocket expenditure by patients and their relatives. Recommendation: There is a need for the urgent implementation of the community health insurance scheme in Nigeria for the benefit of the less privileged