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. 2018 Oct-Dec;43(4):307-311.
doi: 10.4103/ijcm.IJCM_252_18.

Catastrophic Health-care Expenditure and Willingness to Pay for Health Insurance in a Metropolitan City: A Cross-Sectional Study

Rujuta Sachin Hadaye  1 , Jerome Gnanasigamony Thampi  2
Affiliations

Catastrophic Health-care Expenditure and Willingness to Pay for Health Insurance in a Metropolitan City: A Cross-Sectional Study

Rujuta Sachin Hadaye et al. Indian J Community Med. 2018 Oct-Dec.

Abstract

Background: Health insurance can be a very useful strategy to mitigate the disabling effects of catastrophic health expenditure in India.

Objectives: The aim of the study is to estimate catastrophic health expenditure incurred and the willingness to pay and ability to pay for health insurance among the unsubscribed.

Materials and methods: A total of 201 principal earning members of households belonging to the 25-45 years age group were interviewed in a community-based household survey in a conveniently selected ward in Mumbai with the help of a pretested, semi-structured interview schedule.

Results: The proportion of households with catastrophic health expenditure was 22.4% (total expenditure estimate) and 17.4% (nonfood expenditure estimate). There was a statistically significant association between socioeconomic class and occurrence of catastrophic health expenditure. The average amount the respondents were willing to pay as premium for health insurance per month was ₹272 and the average amount they were able to pay was ₹259.

Conclusion: Catastrophic health expenditure continues to be a disastrous problem in around 20% of Indian households. Targeted health insurance schemes with different premiums and coverages for different income and employment groups should be considered.

Keywords: Ability-to-pay; catastrophic; health insurance; willingness-to-pay.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Box plot showing the amount that the respondents were willing and able to pay
Figure 2
Figure 2
Dual axes line diagram showing median willingness to pay amount and proportion of median willingness to pay to household income according to income bands
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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