Publication database

Research Paper #24 evaluates the impact of introducing a new health insurance product in rural Kenya. Health insurance was found to reduce net health expenditure and informal borrowing for medical costs, and to increase non-food and overall consumption. However, the study observed no significant differences in health outcomes between the control and treatment groups.
Demand for the product proved sensitive to price discounts, but not to training in financial and risk literacy. The main determinants of renewal were positive or negative experiences, rather than hospital use or price.

The report is about a multidonor strategic thematic fund established by Opportunities for the Majority which is used for the funding of diverse crucial BoP business models and their scaling-up. In this context four case studies are presented showing examples of the funds work: "VisionSpring", a social enterprise is dedicated to providing affordable eyeglasses to low-income people, the multistage programme "Corporate Leaders Program which includes the development of a creative platform, the housing programme "Patrimonio Hoy" of the Mexico-based cement manufacturer CEMEX and "The 1st BASE Forum for the Development of the Base of the Pyramid in Latin America and the Caribbean".

Research Paper #22 analyses free-riding and coordination problems in health microinsurance in Tanzania. Microinsurance games played with microcredit clients confirm that less risk averse clients are tempted to free-ride and forgo individual insurance and demonstrate limited coordination failures under individual insurance. Group insurance increases demand in the games. These findings provide a potential solution for low uptake of microinsurance.

Research Paper #16 assesses the impact of educational intervention on knowledge, attitude and willingness-to-pay for health insurance using occupational solidarity. It also explores the views of relevant actors on occupational solidarity-based health insurance. Based on multiple regression analysis and experimental design, the combined results of the experiments indicate that the educational intervention has improved the knowledge and willingness to pay for health insurance among informal sector workers in Bangladesh.

Two important challenges in establishing and sustaining community-based insurance (CBI) schemes are low rates of community member enrolment and high lapse rates. These factors lead to low CBI coverage which in turn results in low levels of revenue for the risk carrier and limited risk-pooling, which leave CBI schemes financially and organizationally vulnerable to unexpected changes in incomes or high disease incidence. In Research Paper #15, an experimental design is used to examine how the relationship between insurance providers and health care facilities - and more specifically payment mechanisms for services delivered by health workers - can influence uptake and renewals. The research discovers that the way health care workers are remunerated by the risk carrier can crucially determine CBI performance and quality of health services as payment mechanisms also influence the way healthcare is delivered. Based on the results from this experiment, a revised CBI payment system based on health workers preferences was introduced in the Nouna district of Burkina Faso in January 2011.

Research Paper #11 evaluates the Health Care Fund for the Poor (HCFP), a scheme that was initiated in Vietnam in 2003. The paper shows that, participation in the HCFP program reduced the out-of-pocket health care expenditure of poor participants, increased the intensity with which the poor sought health care and regular check-ups in public health facilities. The paper also reveals that the HCFP helped reduce the incidence of catastrophic spending when dealing with adverse health events. The paper addresses the possible selection bias of insurance participation by means of fixed-effects models and an instrument variable method within fixed-effects.

In Senegal mutual health organizations (MHOs) have been present in the greater region of Thies for years. Despite their efforts and the benefits they bring to low-income population, in some areas, take up rates remain low. The authors of Research Paper #14 ran an insurance literacy module, communicating the benefits of health microinsurance and explaining MHOs work, to a randomly selected sample of households in the city of Thies. The effects of the training, and three vouchers offering refunds and additional education were evaluated using a randomized control trial. The authors find that the insurance literacy module had no impact on the demand for health microinsurance, but that their marketing intervention had a significant effect on the take up decisions of households.

This document provides a practical tool for poverty-oriented planning and reporting of development partnerships. It has been developed to assist partnership managers to understand the necessity and rationale for analysing poverty impacts and guide them through such an analysis. It contains examples on how to use the tool for the agriculture sector, the health sector and the green economy.

This case study showcases healthcare technology company Sproxil, which joined the Business Call to Action with a commitment to mobilize US$4 million to expand its efforts to empower patients and consumers in the fight against counterfeit medication in India and Kenya. The study outlines the company's goals which include expanding the use of Sproxil technology in the target markets by over 1,000%; and discusses how the business model works; the business and development impacts to date; and the key success factors.

This study analyses survey answers from the G20 Challenge applicants on the regulatory obstacles they face in their businesses. It further summarizes how public policy can support business models that include people at the base of the pyramid as producers or suppliers (focusing on agriculture) and as customers (focusing on affordable housing, health, education and basic financial services).