HOUSEHOLDS INEQUALITY AND INSURANCE INCIDENCE DYNAMICS: IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH RISK FINANCING IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Purpose: Due to an increase in out-of-pocket health care expenditure, inequalities in health insurance access have continued to widen throughout Nigeria’s socioeconomic classes. As a result, the health risks, shocks, and financial burdens faced by Nigerians of various socioeconomic classes have increased. Given this, the impact of household inequality and insurance incidence on health risk financing in Nigeria is investigated.

Methodology/approach: Anchored on the cumulative inequality theory, the study employed World Bank data on domestic general government health risk expenditure per capita, Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on health risk per capita. It also employed the Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) policies for the social inclusion index. Finally, it adopted a content analytic method for analysis.

Findings: The findings of the study revealed that health risk financing has been unevenly shouldered by the government and households, with the poorest households bearing a larger portion of the expenses. In line with the findings, the study recommends that government at all levels should tax every socioeconomic stratum according to their abilities and provide health insurance to them in relation to their health needs.

Originality/value: This study adds to the sparse literature on the subject matter in Nigerian literature. This study will engineer policy interventions that address increasing inequality in health care accessibility and ensure effective means of health risk financing that can promote healthcare equity for all.