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Occidental College

Publication Date

Spring 2017

Program Name

India: Public Health, Policy Advocacy, and Community

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine how Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) can promote equity by improving health seeking behavior across gender and geography. Using a CBHI scheme from the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) as a case study, trends in claims filed between October 2016 and March 2017 are compared to the distribution of memberships in order to investigate whether health insurance coverage positively impacts health seeking behavior among disadvantaged groups, and what barriers to access exist when the burden of medical costs are reduced. This study concludes that the number of male and female claims in the sample is consistent with the distribution of gender in memberships. The average estimated cost of medical treatment is similar in size for males and females, as is the average percent of cost approved for reimbursement. Among patients below eighteen years of age, male members have a substantially higher hospitalization rate than female members. The number of claims filed from urban versus rural areas is consistent with the geographical distribution of memberships. However, urban members heavily outnumber rural members, and rural members tend to seek more expensive treatment and receive a lower percentage of treatment cost as a payout.

Disciplines

Asian Studies | Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Insurance | International Public Health | Maternal and Child Health | Other Business | Public Health Education and Promotion | Women's Health

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