Cobertura de aseguramiento en salud: el caso peruano desde la Ley de Aseguramiento Universal / Health insurance coverage: the peruvian case since the universal insurance act

RESUMEN Objetivo. Describir la evolución de la cobertura de aseguramiento en salud (CAS) en Perú para el periodo 2009-2017 y evaluar los principales factores demográficos, sociales y económicos asociados. Materiales y métodos. Realizamos un análisis secundario de la Encuesta Nacional de Hogares. Para cada año estimamos la CAS global, del Seguro Integral de Salud (SIS) y del Seguro Social en Salud (EsSalud), y realizamos pruebas de tendencias anuales. Para los años 2009 (Ley de Aseguramiento Universal en Salud), 2013 (reforma del sector salud) y 2017, construimos una variable politómica del tipo de aseguramiento (SIS/EsSalud/No asegurado) y estimamos razones relativas de prevalencia (RRP) con intervalos de confianza (IC) al 95% mediante modelos logísticos multinomiales para muestras complejas. Resultados. Observamos un incremento en la CAS global (2009: 60,5%; 2013: 65,5%; 2017: 76,4%), en el SIS (2009: 34%; 2013: 35,4%; 2017: 47%) y en EsSalud (2009: 22,8%; 2013: 26,4%; 2017: 26,3%). Observamos que ser mujer aumentó la posibilidad de afiliación al SIS (RRP=2009: 1,64 y 2017: 1,53), mientras que tener entre 18 y 39 años, residir Lima Metropolitana y ser no pobre redujeron esa posibilidad (RRP=2009: 0,16 y 2017: 0,31; 2009: 0,17 y 2017: 0,37; 2009: 0,51 y 2017: 0,53; respectivamente). Por su parte, ser mujer, tener más de 65 años, ser del ámbito urbano, residir en Lima Metropolitana y ser no pobre aumentó la probabilidad de estar afiliados a EsSalud (RRP=2013: 1,12 y 2017: 1,24; 2013: 1,32 y 2017: 1,34; 2009: 2,18 y 2017: 2,08; 2009: 2,14 y 2017: 2,54; 2009: 3,57 y 2017: 2,53; respectivamente). Conclusiones. La CAS ha incrementado durante el periodo 2009-2017. No obstante, las características de la población asegurada difieren de acuerdo con el tipo de seguro.

ABSTRACT Objective. To describe the trends in health insurance coverage (HIC) in Peru during the period 2009-2017 and evaluate associations with demographic, social and economic factors. Materials and Methods. We carried out a secondary data-analysis from the Peruvian National Household Survey. For each year, we estimated the global HIC, for the Integral Health Insurance (SIS) and the Social Security system (EsSalud). In addition, we performed a trend analysis. For 2009 (Universal Health Insurance Act), 2013 (health care reform act) and 2017, we used a polytomous variable for the insurance type (SIS/EsSalud/Non-affiliated). We performed logistic multinomial regressions to estimate relative prevalence ratios (RPR) and their 95% CI with correction for complex sampling. Results. We observed an increasing trend in the global HIC (2009:60.5%; 2013:65.5%; 2017:76.4%), SIS coverage (2009:34%; 2013:35.4%; 2017:47%) and EsSalud coverage (2009:22.8%; 2013:26.4%; 2017:26.3%). Multinomial logistic regressions showed that being a woman increased the likelihood to be affiliated to the SIS (RPR= 2009:1.64 and 2017:1.53), while people between 18 and 39 years old, living in Lima Metropolitan area under non-poverty conditions reduced the likelihood to be affiliated to the SIS (RPR= 2009:0.16 and 2017:0.31; 2009:0.17 and 2017:0.37; 2009:0.51 and 2017:0.53; respectively). Furthermore, being a woman, 65 years old or over, living in urban Lima, and under non-poverty conditions increased the likelihood of being affiliated with the EsSalud (RPR= 2013:1.12 and 2017:1.24; 2013:1.32 and 2017:1.34; 2009:2.18 and 2017:2.08; 2009:2.14 and 2017:2.54; 2009:3.57 and 2017:2.53; respectively). Conclusions. HIC has increased during the period 2009-2017. However, the characteristics of those affiliated are different between the various types of health insurance.

Equity in health benefit utilization and financial risk protection in outpatient and inpatient care: Baseline survey of two socioeconomic groups of a pilot primary care benefits scheme in the catchment areas of a university-based health facility

Background@#Health inequities in the Philippines are driven by health workforce maldistribution and health system fragmentation. These can be addressed by strengthening primary care through central social health insurance (PhilHealth) coverage. However, high reported PhilHealth population coverage and health provider accreditation have not necessarily increased health benefit utilization or financial risk protection.@*Objective@#This study aims to examine the impact of an enhanced, comprehensive primary care benefits package at a university-based health facility. This paper reports baseline utilization of health services and health benefits, and out-of-pocket health spending in two socioeconomic strata of the catchment population, for outpatient and inpatient services.@*Methods@#A questionnaire-guided survey was done among randomly selected faculty (higher income group) and non-faculty (lower income group) employees to determine the frequencies and costs of using outpatient and inpatient health services, and amounts paid out-of-pocket.@*Results@#Annually, both groups had approximately 1 consultation/patient and about 15 hospitalizations per 100 families annually. For hospitalizations, non-faculty inpatients utilized health insurance more frequently than faculty inpatients (75.7% vs. 66.7%), but paid higher out-of-pocket proportions (73.3% or Php 92,479/hospitalization vs. 57.4% or Php 16,273/hospitalization). For outpatient care, health benefit utilization rates were higher among non-faculty (12.4% vs 2.1% of consultations) although low overall, with similar total (Php 2,319 vs Php 1,741) and out-of-pocket expenses (100%).@*Conclusion@#These findings confirm inequities in accessing outpatient and inpatient health services and utilizing health insurance benefits in the target population.

The need for better evidence to evaluate the health & economic benefits of India’s Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana.

In this review the existing evidence on the impact of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) is discussed in the context of international literature available on health insurance. We describe potential pathways through which health insurance can affect health and economic outcomes, discuss evidence from other developing countries, and identify potential biases and inconsistencies in existing studies on RSBY impact. Given the relatively recent introduction of RSBY, lack of quality, verifiable data on utilization patterns, and the absence of reliable evaluation studies, there is a need to exercise caution while assessing the merits of the programme. Considering the enormous potential and cost of the programme, we emphasize the need for a rigorous impact evaluation of RSBY. It will not only help capture the real impact of the scheme, but may also be able to estimate the extent of systemic inefficiencies at the level of the consumer.

Universal access to medicines: evidence from Rajasthan, India

India has outlined its commitment to achieving universal health coverage and several states in India are rolling out strategies to support this aim. In 2011, Rajasthan implemented an ambitious universal access to medicines programme based on a centralized procurement and decentralized distribution model. In terms of the three dimensions of universal health coverage, the scheme has made significant positive strides within a short period of implementation. The key objectives of this paper are to assess the likely implications of providing universal access to essential medicines in Rajasthan, which has a population of 70 million. Primary field-level data were obtained from 112 public health-care facilities using multistage random sampling. National Sample Survey Organization data and health system data were also analysed. The per capita health expenditure during the pre-reform period was estimated to be `5.7 and is now close to `50. Availability of essential medicines was encouraging and utilization of public facilities had increased. With additional per capita annual investment of `43, the scheme has brought about several improvements in the delivery of essential services and increased utilization of public facilities in the state and, as a result, enhanced efficiency of the system. Although there was an attempt to convert the scheme into a targeted one with the change in government, strong resistance from the civil society resulted in such efforts being defeated and the universality of the scheme has been retained.