Effectiveness and impact of community-based health insurance on health service utilization in northwest Ethiopia: a quasi-experimental evaluation

BackgroundAddressing the health challenges of lower socioeconomic groups in Ethiopia is still a huge problem. In that regard, the government piloted the community-based health insurance (CBHI) in 2011 in a few districts and subsequently scaled up. However, the effectiveness of the program on the utilization of health services and its impact was not well explored. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of CBHI toward health services' utilization and its impact in northwest Ethiopia.MethodsA quasi-experimental matched comparison group evaluation design with sequential explanatory mixed methods was employed. To evaluate the CBHI program, the effectiveness and impact dimensions from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development framework were used. A multistage sampling technique was used to select a total of 332 households enrolled in the CBHI program; 341 comparison households who did not enroll in the program were also randomly selected. A structured interviewer-administrated questionnaire was used to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of CBHI on health service utilization. The Propensity score matching model was employed for the estimation of the effect of the CBHI program on health service utilization. Challenges for program achievement toward health service utilization were explained through qualitative data and these were then analyzed thematically.ResultsThe evaluation showed 1.3 visits per capita per year of health service utilization among CBHI members. Households enrolled in CBHI increased health service utilization by 6.9 percentage points (ATT = 0.069; 95% CI: 0.034, 0.114). There was an improvement in health service utilization after the introduction of CBHI, however, there are challenges: (i) shortage of human resources, (ii) out-of-stock of drugs and medical supplies, and (iii) long waiting times for service and reimbursement claims. These issues limit the success of the program toward health service utilization.ConclusionThe CBHI program contributed to health service utilization improvement among CBHI members. However, the utilization rate of health services among CBHI members is still less than the target stated for the program and also the WHO recommendation. Therefore, the findings of this evaluation can be used by program implementers, policy makers, and other stakeholders to overcome the identified challenges and to increase the success of the program.