Effect of Health Insurance on Health Service Utilization among Households Affected by Non-communicable diseases in Busia County, Kenya

Abstract

- Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are the most important agents of illness and death worldwide. In LMICs, NCDs will be the main agent of mortality projected to cause up to 75% of all deaths by the year 2030. Patients with NCDs go through lengthy and costly treatment regiments that consume a substantial portion of households’ resources subsequently acting as a major barrier to access and utilization of available care. Kenya adopted the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development Goals and committed to achieve SDG target 3.8 on Universal Health Coverage, so as to enhance access to services and deal with financial burden of illness. The Government made deliberate policy reforms at the National health insurer – NHIF aimed at building its capacity to provide cover for all households including those afflicted by NCDs. This study examined the effect of HI on out-patient and in-patient health service utilization among people with reported NCDs in Busia County. Methods. A quasi experimental – (Pretest-posttest Nonequivalent control group) design using Propensity Score Matching method was conducted in Busia County among eligible households with HI cover (intervention group) and those without (comparison group), involving a total representative sample of 350 households. Interviewers conducted interviews