Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage

The Joint Learning Network systematically documents the reforms of its member countries and other countries that have expanded health coverage through demand-side financing. The case studies contained in these pages are brief, comparative and modular in nature, describing the key highlights and technical features of each program.

Use the compare reforms feature below to view comparable technical information across multiple programs at once. Select a reform element to the right, and filter the selection of countries and programs using the selection list.



Program Target population Coverage Population covered
Estonia: Estonian Health Insurance Fund
  • All populations
1.28 million

Health insurance through EHIF is mandatory. There are three main categories of enrollees:

  • Those who make their own contributions: These enrollees contribute 13% of their wages. They primarily include employees and the self-employed. This group makes up 51% of the systems’ enrollees.
  • Those whose contributions are covered by the state: these enrollees are composed of individuals on parental leave, the unemployed, the disabled, military personnel, and dependent spouses of diplomats. This group makes up 2.5% of the systems’ enrollees.
  • Those who are eligible for coverage without contributing: these enrollees include children up to 19 years of age, pensioners, disabled people with special pensions, students, non-working spouses of insured individuals, and non-working pregnant women. This group makes up 46.5% of the systems’ enrollees.
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Health insurance through EHIF is mandatory. There are three main categories of enrollees:

  • Those who make their own contributions: These enrollees contribute 13% of their wages. They primarily include employees and the self-employed. This group makes up 51% of the systems’ enrollees.
  • Those whose contributions are covered by the state: these enrollees are composed of individuals on parental leave, the unemployed, the disabled, military personnel, and dependent spouses of diplomats. This group makes up 2.5% of the systems’ enrollees.
  • Those who are eligible for coverage without contributing: these enrollees include children up to 19 years of age, pensioners, disabled people with special pensions, students, non-working spouses of insured individuals, and non-working pregnant women. This group makes up 46.5% of the systems’ enrollees.

In order to receive services, patients must show their national identification card to providers. An online information system is used to verify that the card is valid and to provide details of insurance status and family doctor.

Indonesia: Jamkesmas
  • Below Poverty Line
76.4 million

Though the scheme has never been formally marketed, Jamkesmas has enrolled more beneficiaries than any other Indonesian health insurance plan. Its target population is defined using an annually administered national survey known as the SUSENAS according to daily household consumption estimates.

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Though the scheme has never been formally marketed, Jamkesmas has enrolled more beneficiaries than any other Indonesian health insurance plan. Its target population is defined using an annually administered national survey known as the SUSENAS according to daily household consumption estimates.

SUSENAS is a social and economic household survey used to define total household consumption for GDP estimation purposes. Based on standard definitions of the poor in terms of daily household consumption, the total number of poor has been defined. The sub-national distribution of this total has also been defined in a similar manner.

P.T. Askes remains the administrator of membership in the Jamkesmas program since it has operated the program since 2005. P.T. Askes has a contract with the MoH to administer the membership part of the program separate from other programs. P.T. Askes obtains a list of the number of persons eligible each year from the Central Bureau of Statistics which is a part of Bappenas (the national planning agency). P.T. Askes then distributes the cards and registers enrollees into the program.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) is responsible for the development of a national identity card to be distributed throughout the entire population. When this card has been distributed, it will become the basis for enrollment into the national health insurance program.

Jamkesmas is not being formally marketed, as it has been oversubscribed since its inception in 2008.

Mali: Mutuelles
  • Informal Sector
400,000

The Mutuelle system is still voluntary, and thus steps must be taken to bring about large-scale enrollment of the people. Thus, the “national strategy to extend health coverage through Mutuelles” contains solutions for the slow pace at which Mutuelles grew in the past, for the poor capacities of the players involved in promoting the Mutuelle movement, the management of Mutuelle movement organizations, and the lack of information and awareness about the Mutuelle movement on the national level. It was found that the principal actors were not enlisted sufficiently at the local level in the past. Health care workers, the ASACOs, and the territorial governments were only marginally involved in promoting the Mutuelle movement. By organizing Mutuelles at the commune level, the strategy seeks to have the mayors and local elected officials play an active role in mobilizing the population.

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The Mutuelle system is still voluntary, and thus steps must be taken to bring about large-scale enrollment of the people. Thus, the “national strategy to extend health coverage through Mutuelles” contains solutions for the slow pace at which Mutuelles grew in the past, for the poor capacities of the players involved in promoting the Mutuelle movement, the management of Mutuelle movement organizations, and the lack of information and awareness about the Mutuelle movement on the national level. It was found that the principal actors were not enlisted sufficiently at the local level in the past. Health care workers, the ASACOs, and the territorial governments were only marginally involved in promoting the Mutuelle movement. By organizing Mutuelles at the commune level, the strategy seeks to have the mayors and local elected officials play an active role in mobilizing the population. The main challenge in promoting the Mutuelle movement for large-scale enrollment thus continues to be implementing a major information and awareness campaign for Mutuelles at the national scale. This is part of the national strategy and advocacy activities that also include local and national leaders .

Since the AMO is mandatory, beneficiaries are enrolled automatically by withdrawing dues from their wages. Benefit eligibility begins on May 1, 2011 for those who have paid dues for six months.

With regard to identifying the indigent for RAMED, the social services in each commune routinely conduct a social survey to assess the situation after interested parties submit an application. The social services or other persons may also prepare an application on behalf of someone else who has not taken the initiative to do so for several reasons. Based on the social survey, the communal authorities issue an indigent card that serves as physical evidence to enroll the member and to obtain the card from the National Medical Assistance Agency (ANAM – the management agency for RAMED) and to obtain care (including the beneficiaries whose applications are submitted to ANAM staff). The status of indigence is always considered temporary, so that the insured member’s card is annual.

Rwanda: Mutuelles de Sante
  • Below Poverty Line
  • Informal Sector
7.9 million

Enrollment in the Mutuelle system is voluntary and is primarily coordinated at the district and sector level. Each community-based Mutuelle is responsible for increasing enrollment, maintaining re-enrollment, educating the population about the program, verifying the number of participants in each household, and collecting membership contributions. Outreach is done most frequently at the community level via church services, radio broadcasts, etc, and tends to focus largely on the rural and informal sector in order to most effectively target those individuals unable to access formal health insurance through other means.

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Enrollment in the Mutuelle system is voluntary and is primarily coordinated at the district and sector level. Each community-based Mutuelle is responsible for increasing enrollment, maintaining re-enrollment, educating the population about the program, verifying the number of participants in each household, and collecting membership contributions. Outreach is done most frequently at the community level via church services, radio broadcasts, etc, and tends to focus largely on the rural and informal sector in order to most effectively target those individuals unable to access formal health insurance through other means.

Enrollment for Rwanda Health Insurance Scheme (La Rwandaise d’Assurance Maladie or RAMA) and Military Medical Insurance (MMI) are coordinated through the government and employers. Initially only civil servants and their families were covered with RAMA, however, in 2003 coverage expanded to all those employed in both the public and the private sector. In 2006 RAMA only covered approximately 2.2% of the population. Coverage through MMI is provided for all members of the Rwandan Defense Force. Family members of MMI affiliates are covered under the same conditions as in RAMA. The exact number of beneficiaries is difficult to calculate due to national security issues but an estimated figure of 100,000 individuals or approximately 1.1% of the total Rwandan population is estimated to be covered. Combined, these programs insure less than 5% of the population.

The result of these health insurance programs has been an incredible upsurge in health insurance enrollment. USAID estimates that in 2010 approximately 92% of the population had health coverage, up from about 10% in 1999 since the implementation of the Community-Based Health Initiatives (CBHI). Geographically, enrollment has expanded from about 4 provinces to all 11 provinces. After national expansion of CBHI, participation increased coverage to 5.8 million persons, about 70% of the population. The Ministry of Health has stated that the rapid uptake seen in the early years of the program undoubtedly speaks to the communal and grassroots dynamics of the country.

Enrollment uptake in Health Insurance System from 2002 to 2006

Kenya: National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF)
  • All populations
2.7 million

To be a member of the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), one must simply be a Kenyan resident age 18 or older. NHIF covers certain dependents of the primary policy holder automatically, including spouses, children under the age of 18, students (even if over the age of 18), and disabled dependents. Other adult family members require separate premium contributions to be covered. NHIF is responsible for enrolling and registering all eligible members from the formal and informal sectors.

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To be a member of the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), one must simply be a Kenyan resident age 18 or older. NHIF covers certain dependents of the primary policy holder automatically, including spouses, children under the age of 18, students (even if over the age of 18), and disabled dependents. Other adult family members require separate premium contributions to be covered. NHIF is responsible for enrolling and registering all eligible members from the formal and informal sectors.

Total membership in NHIF rose from about 206,000 in 1998 to 1,372,000 in 2006. By 2011 about 2.7 million people were insured by NHIF, 2.1 million of which are employed in the formal sector. Approximately 88% of the people with insurance in Kenya are insured by the NHIF. However, currently only about 25% of the poor have medical coverage. Recently, NHIF has embarked on a program to work with community-based organizations to expand informal sector membership.