Abstract

ON THE SUSTAINABILITY OF GHANA NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME: AN ACTUARIAL APPROACH CASE STUDY OF THE KPANDO DISTRICT

R. C. Anang,*, F. T. Oduro and I. A. Adetunde

Abstract

There is considerable interest at present in exploring the potential of health insurance to increase access to and affordability of health care in Ghana. Ghana‟s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was passed into law in 2003 but fully implemented from late 2005. It has already reached impressive coverage levels. This study seeks to check the sustainability of Ghana‟s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) vis-à-vis the treatment of the top nine diseases from the designated health institutions within the Kpandu District of the Volta Region. Probability theory was used to estimate the total cost of health care. A sample of both the insured and staff of the health insurance scheme were interviewed in addition to the secondary data collected. The research finding indicated that the NHIS is heavily reliant on tax funding for its revenue. This has permitted quick expansion of coverage, partly through the inclusion of large exempted population groups. Policyholders (Membership) increased from 7% of the population in 2005 to 53.3% in March 2008 within the Kpando District of the Volta Region.

Keywords: Ghana National Health Insurance Scheme, Actuarial Approach, Kpando District, Volta Region.