Health insurance coverage: the peruvian case since the universal insurance act

Abstract

To describe the trends in health insurance coverage (HIC) in Peru during the period 2009-2017 and evaluate associations with demographic, social and economic factors. We carried out a secondary data-analysis from the Peruvian National Household Survey. For each year, we estimated the global HIC, for the Integral Health Insurance (SIS) and the Social Security system (EsSalud). In addition, we performed a trend analysis. For 2009 (Universal Health Insurance Act), 2013 (health care reform act) and 2017, we used a polytomous variable for the insurance type (SIS/EsSalud/Non-affiliated). We performed logistic multinomial regressions to estimate relative prevalence ratios (RPR) and their 95% CI with correction for complex sampling. We observed an increasing trend in the global HIC (2009:60.5%; 2013:65.5%; 2017:76.4%), SIS coverage (2009:34%; 2013:35.4%; 2017:47%) and EsSalud coverage (2009:22.8%; 2013:26.4%; 2017:26.3%). Multinomial logistic regressions showed that being a woman increased the likelihood to be affiliated to the SIS (RPR= 2009:1.64 and 2017:1.53), while people between 18 and 39 years old, living in Lima Metropolitan area under non-poverty conditions reduced the likelihood to be affiliated to the SIS (RPR= 2009:0.16 and 2017:0.31; 2009:0.17 and 2017:0.37; 2009:0.51 and 2017:0.53; respectively). Furthermore, being a woman, 65 years old or over, living in urban Lima, and under non-poverty conditions increased the likelihood of being affiliated with the EsSalud (RPR= 2013:1.12 and 2017:1.24; 2013:1.32 and 2017:1.34; 2009:2.18 and 2017:2.08; 2009:2.14 and 2017:2.54; 2009:3.57 and 2017:2.53; respectively). HIC has increased during the period 2009-2017. However, the characteristics of those affiliated are different between the various types of health insurance.