Determining Health Insurance attributes and Levels: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Health insurance is one of the financing mechanisms in the health sector that reduces expensive and unforeseen costs of health care for households and converts these costs into predictable premiums. The purpose of this study was to identify the appropriate attributes and levels, using the discrete choice experiments for health insurance, which can describe health care services appropriately.

Methods: The present study was a qualitative study that involved several stages. First, the literature was reviewed through a search of valid sites and related features were identified. Then, through interviews with 8 health insurance and health policy makers sampled by snowball method, specific health insurance weighting characteristics were assessed. Eventually the research team decided to include traits and levels in the final design after several panel meetings with experts.

Results: The findings of this study showed that the most important attributes of health insurance include Public hospitals, and private hospitals benefits, outpatient services, dental insurance coverage, Para clinical services, medication and medical equipment cost coverage, and finally monthly premium.

Conclusion: Policymakers and health insurance organizations need to focus on health and premium benefit packages appropriate to people's ability to pay and community inflation to improve and improve insurance in this area. Emphasizing these attributes can help individuals' preferences and willingness to pay for health insurance and lead to changes in the insurance system of the country, planning to improve basic insurance and increasing the benefits of insurance packages.