Providing Insurance to Those that Need it Most

Author Ryan Hogarth recently produced a series of case studies on Health Microinsurance (HMI) schemes in Bangladesh. The second installment documented BRAC's efforts to increase access to its health centers in Bangaldesh through the Micro Health Insurance for Poor Rural Women in Bangladesh (MHIB) initiative.

The article is accessible at:

http://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-story-brac-provides-micro-health-insurance-in-bangladesh-lessons-in-financial-viability/

It describes how in 1995, BRAC began establishing health centers, or Shushasthya, around Bangladesh. By 2007 there were 30 BRAC centers around the country. The user fees necessary to make the centers financially viable priced out many in the poorer segments of the population. BRAC launched its MHIB insurance scheme in 2001 to bridge this gap.

The article describes in some details the for four types of health insurance packages offerered under the program: General Package, Equity Package, a Pre-paid Pregnancy Related Care Package, a School Health Package.