P-48 Investigating the role Private Health Insurance plays in Universal Health Coverage in the Eastern Caribbean States.
Author(s):
L Pierre-Romain, R Thomas
Year of Presentation:
2022
Objective: This study aimed to understand the role private health insurance plays in Universal Health Coverage in the Eastern Caribbean States. Specifically, the objectives were to determine the percentage of the population covered by private health insurance, the impact of private health insurance on out-of-pocket costs and the barriers to accessing private health insurance.
Design and Methods: A literature review was done for this study searching various databases with keywords “private health insurance” and “universal health coverage”. A total of 18 articles were selected.
Results: The use of private health insurance (PHI) is low in the OECS, particularly among nations without legislation for Universal Health Coverage (UHC). In Antigua and Barbuda, which is the only nation to legislate UHC, the out-of-pocket (OOP) cost and the government transfers are lower than the other nations. Socio-economic status, health literacy, expected benefits and media could be determined as barriers to accessing PHI.
Conclusion: As the OECS makes strives to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), it is important to determine the role of private health insurance (PHI). More research is needed in specific countries of the OECS to understand how impactful PHI can be on UHC.