Willingness to Pay for Social Health Insurance by the Self-employed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State; A Contingent Valuation Approach

Background/Aim: Urban Self-Employed Social Health Insurance (USSHIP), which is similar to Community-based health insurance schemes CBHI, USSHIP, is a package in the National Health Insurance Scheme NHIS specific but is not limited to self-employed individuals in Nigeria which has been rarely explored as instrument in financing healthcare in Nigeria. This study was aimed to assess the Willingness-to-Pay (WTP) for USSHIP and its determinants amongst the self-employed in Port Harcourt.

Methodology: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 204 self-employed individuals selected from various trade association in Port Harcourt using semi-structured interviewer-administered pre-tested questionnaires. An iterative bidding approach of the contingent valuation method was used to elicit maximum WTP for the schemes. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to determine predictors to WTP. Data collected were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), version 23 software.

Results: The results show that 89.7% were willing to enrol into the program; the median WTP for the scheme per person/per month is ₦300 ($0.83). The predictors of WTP were marital status, level of education and mode of payment of healthcare.

Conclusion: Sequel to the findings of this study, the WTP amount for social health insurance program by the self-employed is too small, the implications for these findings imply that with the amount stated, the program cannot be successfully implemented. Recognizing this low amount stated for WTP for USSHIP, which is insufficient to scale up the scheme, the government support for the program is highly recommended.