Abstract:
Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are increasingly becoming important agents of illness and
premature deaths globally, killing up to 41 million people annually, 77% of which occur in LMICs. In Kenya, major
NCDs are cancer, diabetes, cardio-vascular and chronic respiratory diseases. They account for 50% of all hospital
admissions and 39% of hospital deaths. Patients with NCDs go through expensive treatment regiments, restraining
them from utilizing available care. NCDs deepen inequality and are the major drivers of unending poverty. Kenya
successively reformed the National Health Insurer to include a package that cover the blight of NCDs and transform it
into a primary enabler for achieving Universal Health Coverage. There is however no evidence whether health
insurance (HI) improves utilization of outpatient NCDs care. This study examined whether health insurance has an
effect on utilization of outpatient NCDs care among households of people with NCDs.
Methods: A quasi-experimental design was conducted among eligible households with HI cover and those without,
involving a representative sample of 350 households. Interviewers conducted interviews at baseline and after 1 year
among household heads.
Results: Utilization of outpatient NCDs care improved by 1.24 (95% CI=1.048-1.474) times among insured
households, (p=0.012).
Conclusions: Health insurance improves utilization of outpatient NCDs care. To accelerate progress towards UHC,
national government should scale up the program to all counties. County government and partners should ensure
availability of essential NCDs commodities.
Keywords: Health Insurance, NCDs care, Outpatient health service utilization
