Irene Akuamoah Boateng

Health Services Utilized by Insurance Clients:the Ghanaian Case: National Health Insurance Clients Healthcare Services Utilization in Ghana Irene Akuamoah Boateng

There is a keen interest at present in exploring the potentials of social health insurance to increase access and affordability of health care in Africa. Ghana's National Health Insurance Bill was passed into law in 2003 but fully implemented from late 2005. This book aims to provide assessment of the NHIS client?s utilization of the health services in Ghana. It revealed that utilization of services depends on several factors such as client socio-economic, quality of services provided by health providers and the health insurance scheme management. There is a strong relationship between formal education and enrollment. The NHIS offers a broad benefits package and has lead to increase OPD cases with drastic increased in the number of registrants, the beneficiaries, the renewal and claims submitted over the years. However, considerable challenges remain in relation to strengthening the purchasing role of the NHIS, and also settling debates about its structure and accountability. Health insurance has become the mainstay of the health care financing compare to the "cash and carry" system, and has proved to increase access and utilization of health care services in Ghana.