Utilization of Health Microinsurance in Punjab: Insights from Administrative Data

Abstract

We study dominant trends and potential determinants of use of a health microinsurance program, offered by a leading microfinance institution (MFI) in Punjab, Pakistan. We find that: (1) Women are the most active users of the program with a major focus on seeking health care for maternal and gynaecological conditions (2) Extending the program offers benefits to the MFI; observed as higher retention and lower drop-out rates in the credit program (3) Supply side factors; distance and dearth of listed hospitals, constrain utilization of the health microinsurance program (4) Program utilization is higher in areas with lower levels of public health infrastructure, implying the presence of a potential substitution effect between the public and private health care sector.