FACTORS AFFECTING ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE PRODUCTS PROVIDED BY MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS IN WESTERN PROVINCE OF KENYA

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that affect access to health insurance products offered by Microfinance institutions in Western KenyaMethodology: The research focused on all the registered MFIs operating in Western province of Kenya and their clients. A sample of two hundred respondents both insured and uninsured was selected. Interviews and review of administrative records were used to gather relevant information for the study. The research employed a descriptive and non-experimental design in which both qualitative and qualitative methods were used to analyse data. The data gathered was analysed using MS-excel and summarized using descriptive statistics in form of tables, percentage and graphs. Textual data was analysed qualitatively using frequency tables.Results: The study found that most members of the MFIs were earning less than a dollar a day. The study also found sixty eight percent of the respondents did not have healthcare insurance for themselves or members of their households. The respondents indicated that the main impediment to their uptake of healthcare insurance products was lack of funds to pay the premiums. The respondents also indicated that there was failure by the MFIs to carry out awareness programmes for the healthcare products. The study also found out that women are the majority clients of the MFIs at 78%.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommended that MFIs should strive to bring in the men into their net. The study also recommends that the MFIs need to liaise with strategic partners in the grassroots in the regions they operate in like the churches and schools to raise awareness of the healthcare insurance products. The study further recommended that future research be conducted to investigate the specific effect of each of the factors identified in this study. A future study could be for example conducted on the effects of education or culture on the adoption of healthcare insurance products offered by the MFIs. Future research could be conducted in other geographical regions using similar or different methodology to assess the verifiability of the findings of this study. Such a study would confirm or contest the findings of this study.