Examining the influence of health insurance literacy and perception on the people preference to purchase private voluntary health insurance

Health Serv Manage Res. 2018 Nov;31(4):218-232. doi: 10.1177/0951484818760529. Epub 2018 Mar 15.

Abstract

Most studies have associated "un-affordability" as a plausible cause for the lower take-up of private voluntary health insurance plans. However, others refuted this claim on the pretext that when people can afford "inpatient-care" from pocket then insurance premium cost is far less than those payments. Thus, economic factors remain insufficient in clearly explaining the reason for poor private voluntary health insurance take-up. An attempt is being made by shifting the focus towards non-economic factors and understanding the role of perception and health insurance literacy in transforming people preferences to invest in private voluntary health insurance plans. The study findings will conspicuously support decision-makers in developing strategy to increase the private voluntary health insurance take-up.

Keywords: health insurance; knowledge; private health insurance; service delivery.

MeSH terms

  • Consumer Behavior*
  • Decision Making
  • Female
  • Health Expenditures*
  • Health Literacy*
  • Humans
  • Insurance, Health / economics*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Perception*