The Social Value of Health Insurance Results from Ghana
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World Bank, Washington, DC
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This paper uses the roll-out of the
national health insurance in Ghana to assess the cushioning
effect of coverage on the financial consequences of health
shocks and resulting changes in coping behaviors. The
analysis finds a strong reduction in medical expenditures,
preventing households from cutting non-food consumption and
causing a decrease in the volume of received remittances as
well as the labor supply of healthy adult household members.
Moreover, the paper presents evidence that the insurance
scheme reduced the likelihood that households experiencing a
health shock pulled their children out of school to put them
to work. Avoidance of such costly coping mechanisms is
potentially an important part of the social value of formal
health insurance.
Palabras clave
SOCIAL PROTECTION, HEALTH SHOCK, CHILD LABOR, HEALTH INSURANCE, COPING STRATEGY, LABOR SUPPLY