Health insurance for university students in Bangladesh: A novel experiment

Abstract

Background and Aims Bangladesh requires some pragmatic initiatives for using its immense potentiality to flourish health insurance. Introducing group health insurance for university students is a groundbreaking idea for stepping toward social health insurance in Bangladesh. This article examined the effect of the health insurance initiative for the university students introduced by the Institute of Health Economics, University of Dhaka, on attitude toward insurance and protecting financial risk against health care expenditure. Method We used both management information system (MIS) and primary data obtained through mixed methods. We collected the quantitative data from a baseline survey on 310 students and a year‐end survey on 151 students. We used bivariate tools to analyze the data. Results The results show that the mean score of attitude toward health insurance in the year‐end survey (4.04) was significantly higher than the baseline score (3.21). Results also show that a significantly higher percentage of the students reported insurance as “useful” in the year‐end survey (83.74%) than the baseline survey (40.40%). The results also reflectes that the scheme has a substantial impact on reducing the out‐of‐pocket spending for health care, especially for in‐patient care, and the anxiety regarding the financing of health care among the students. There is also an indication of sustainability and the feasibility of scaling up such a scheme across the country. Conclusions Introducing such health insurance by all the universities may guide the nation toward large‐scale group health insurance and social health insurance.

Investigating and Analyzing the Current Situation of College Students Participating in Local Social Basic Medical Insurance

“…To address these issues, we propose some specific solutions. First, schools and governments have a responsibility to strengthen students' knowledge of medical insurance, cultivate their insurance awareness, make them aware of the importance of participating in medical insurance, and enhance their understanding of the provisions and operational procedures of insurance [10] . Through various channels and forms of propaganda (such as lectures, promotional materials, promotional videos broadcasted on campus, student unions, clubs, and student parent groups, etc.…”

Exploring the Changes: A Study of Post-COVID Educational Challenges of Peripheral University in Bangladesh

“…Unlike the reputable metropolitan universities, including Rajshahi University and Dhaka University, HSTU does not embrace "Health Insurance." Health insurance can guarantee physical and emotional stability, explored by Hamid, S. A. (2021), covering financial responsibilities if any health risk arises.…”

“…(2021), covering financial responsibilities if any health risk arises. Insurance excludes coverage for emotional and mental illnesses, alcoholism, and drug addiction and only recognizes physical disorders as illnesses (Hamid, 2021). However, students from low-income families consider it under a social safety net to continue their academic journey.…”