A new study analyzed the coverage and effects of health insurance schemes using the data from the People’s Voice survey in the following countries:

Ethiopia

Kenya

South Africa

India

Laos

The study finds that health insurance coverage ranges from 25% in India to 100% in Laos, with different types of public and private insurance available in each country.

Private insurance was found to be more strongly associated with healthcare access than public insurance.

Private health insurance coverage was below 15% in all countries.

The study suggests that current public insurance programs might be insufficient to ensure adequate access to high-quality healthcare services and that new and more comprehensive approaches are needed to reach the ambitious universal healthcare targets in Asian and African countries.

The study found that most adults in all countries tended to use health services regularly, but unmet needs and a lack of confidence in their ability to afford care were still prevalent, especially among low-income and uninsured populations.

The study also found that private insurance was generally associated with higher healthcare use and confidence than public insurance or no insurance, except in India.

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