Effect of mobile phone-based health insurance contribution payment system on retention of coverage in the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: an evaluation study
Abstract Background Ghana introduced a mobile phone-based contribution payment system in its national health insurance scheme (NHIS) in December 2018 to improve the process of enrolment. We evaluated the effect of this digital health intervention on retention of coverage in the Scheme, one year afte...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09236-7 |
| _version_ | 1827984779491934208 |
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| author | Eric Nsiah-Boateng Mariam Musah Collins Danso Akuamoah Francis Asenso-Boadi Francis-Xavier Andoh-Adjei Bernard Okoe Boye |
| author_facet | Eric Nsiah-Boateng Mariam Musah Collins Danso Akuamoah Francis Asenso-Boadi Francis-Xavier Andoh-Adjei Bernard Okoe Boye |
| author_sort | Eric Nsiah-Boateng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Ghana introduced a mobile phone-based contribution payment system in its national health insurance scheme (NHIS) in December 2018 to improve the process of enrolment. We evaluated the effect of this digital health intervention on retention of coverage in the Scheme, one year after its implementation. Methods We used NHIS enrolment data for the period, 1 December 2018–31 December 2019. Descriptive statistics and propensity-score matching method were performed to examine a sample of 57,993 members’ data. Results Proportion of members who renewed their membership in the NHIS via the mobile phone-based contribution payment system increased from 0% to 8.5% whilst those who did so through the office-based system only grew from 4.7% to 6.4% over the study period. The chance of renewing membership was higher by 17.4 percentage points for users of the mobile phone-based contribution payment system, compared to those who used the office-based contribution payment system. The effect was greater for the informal sector workers, males and the unmarried. Conclusions The mobile phone-based health insurance renewal system is improving coverage in the NHIS particularly for members who hitherto were less likely to renew their membership. Policy makers need to devise an innovative way for new members and all member categories to enrol using this payment system to accelerate progress towards attainment of universal health coverage. Further study needs to be conducted using mixed-method design with inclusion of more variables. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:04:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-98c2d97968f14405be3b04da48cdf9ba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:04:17Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-98c2d97968f14405be3b04da48cdf9ba2023-03-22T10:48:07ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632023-03-012311910.1186/s12913-023-09236-7Effect of mobile phone-based health insurance contribution payment system on retention of coverage in the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: an evaluation studyEric Nsiah-Boateng0Mariam Musah1Collins Danso Akuamoah2Francis Asenso-Boadi3Francis-Xavier Andoh-Adjei4Bernard Okoe Boye5National Health Insurance AuthorityNational Health Insurance AuthorityNational Health Insurance AuthorityNational Health Insurance AuthorityNational Health Insurance AuthorityNational Health Insurance AuthorityAbstract Background Ghana introduced a mobile phone-based contribution payment system in its national health insurance scheme (NHIS) in December 2018 to improve the process of enrolment. We evaluated the effect of this digital health intervention on retention of coverage in the Scheme, one year after its implementation. Methods We used NHIS enrolment data for the period, 1 December 2018–31 December 2019. Descriptive statistics and propensity-score matching method were performed to examine a sample of 57,993 members’ data. Results Proportion of members who renewed their membership in the NHIS via the mobile phone-based contribution payment system increased from 0% to 8.5% whilst those who did so through the office-based system only grew from 4.7% to 6.4% over the study period. The chance of renewing membership was higher by 17.4 percentage points for users of the mobile phone-based contribution payment system, compared to those who used the office-based contribution payment system. The effect was greater for the informal sector workers, males and the unmarried. Conclusions The mobile phone-based health insurance renewal system is improving coverage in the NHIS particularly for members who hitherto were less likely to renew their membership. Policy makers need to devise an innovative way for new members and all member categories to enrol using this payment system to accelerate progress towards attainment of universal health coverage. Further study needs to be conducted using mixed-method design with inclusion of more variables.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09236-7Impact evaluationDigital healthHealth insuranceRetention of coverageGhana |
| spellingShingle | Eric Nsiah-Boateng Mariam Musah Collins Danso Akuamoah Francis Asenso-Boadi Francis-Xavier Andoh-Adjei Bernard Okoe Boye Effect of mobile phone-based health insurance contribution payment system on retention of coverage in the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: an evaluation study BMC Health Services Research Impact evaluation Digital health Health insurance Retention of coverage Ghana |
| title | Effect of mobile phone-based health insurance contribution payment system on retention of coverage in the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: an evaluation study |
| title_full | Effect of mobile phone-based health insurance contribution payment system on retention of coverage in the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: an evaluation study |
| title_fullStr | Effect of mobile phone-based health insurance contribution payment system on retention of coverage in the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: an evaluation study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of mobile phone-based health insurance contribution payment system on retention of coverage in the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: an evaluation study |
| title_short | Effect of mobile phone-based health insurance contribution payment system on retention of coverage in the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: an evaluation study |
| title_sort | effect of mobile phone based health insurance contribution payment system on retention of coverage in the national health insurance scheme in ghana an evaluation study |
| topic | Impact evaluation Digital health Health insurance Retention of coverage Ghana |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09236-7 |
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