PNS70 THE EFFECT OF OUT-OF-POCKET HEALTHCARE PAYMENT ON THE FINANCES OF NIGERIAN FAMILIES

Abstract

The failed Nigerian National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has left Nigerians with huge medical bills to pay out-of-pocket. This study is geared towards determining how this out-of-pocket payments affect the finances, welfare and livelihood of Nigerian families. Data from the world bank shows that Nigeria’s poverty headcount ratio is at $1.90 a day, showing that a good number of Nigerians are already living in poverty. The study was carried out in 3 hospitals in Enugu metropolis. In this study, a simple questionnaire was distributed to all participants who agreed to release a little information about their healthcare expenditure and how it has affected them. Out of 400 adult respondents, there were more female (54%) than male respondents (46%). The average monthly earning of each family was at around $120, and about 40% of families with one family member hospitalized spent almost 50% of the monthly earning on health care bills, then struggled with the remaining half for the rest of the month. Over two third of the respondents agreed that they had to make significant adjustments to family budget due to the medical expenditure. About 11% of the respondents had one or more relation suffering from a chronic illness that has required prolonged hospitalization, and they complained of having spent almost 90% of their monthly earning on healthcare bills and subsequent borrowing for survival. At the end, 92% of the respondents said they’d prefer a working health insurance plan that will help minimize out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure. This study has shown how much out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure affects the welfare of Nigerian families and the need for a working health insurance in Nigeria. If people must rise from poverty lines in Nigeria, out-of-pocket healthcare spending must be brought to the barest minimum.