Health Policy Project

The Health Policy Project ended in 2016. Work continued under Health Policy Plus (HP+) until 2022.

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Health Insurance: Opportunities for Protecting All Afghans
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Author(s): Afghanistan Ministry of Public Health, Health Economics and Financing Directorate

Primary Language: English

Date: 6/30/2014

Abstract:

Households in Afghanistan contribute more than 70% of the country’s health care spending. These funds come directly from households through out of pocket (OOP) payments for health care services.  Such high costs of medical care can result in catastrophic expenditures where households may be forced to sell their land, sell their agricultural or animal livelihoods, or prevent children from obtaining education due to extra fees). Alternatively, poor households may choose not to seek care to avoid impoverishment, prolonging ill-health. These decisions may lead to further impoverishment for households. Yet, currently there are no risk protection mechanisms for households.  The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) has the opportunity to protect all Afghans from catastrophic health payments; the opportunity to ensure that all Afghans have access to health care services; and the opportunity to ensure that all Afghans can use health care services. This opportunity is called health insurance.  This brief provides policy recommendations for introducing health insurance to Afghanistan.


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Brief    Health Financing    Afghanistan  
 
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The Health Policy Project is a five-year cooperative agreement funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development under Agreement No. AID-OAA-A-10-00067, beginning September 30, 2010. The project's HIV-related activities are supported by the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). It is implemented by Futures Group, in collaboration with Plan International USA, Avenir Health (previously Futures Institute), Partners in Population and Development, Africa Regional Office (PPD ARO), Population Reference Bureau (PRB), RTI International, and White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood (WRA). The information provided on this Web site is not official U.S. Government information and does not represent the views or positions of the U.S. Agency for International Development or the U.S. Government.

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