Public-Private Partnerships and Micro Health Insurance Schemes in India: A Sociological Perspective

This paper is an attempt to look at the socio-economic features, and health seeking behaviours of the lower income group and their involvement in the functioning of the micro health insurance schemes. The model micro health insurance as a mechanism of social capital is examined its strength to create a good “health for all”. In other words, it focuses on the importance of public (government) intervention to create a feasible health care systems with the partnership of private both for-profit and non-for-profit sector, so that, the micro health insurance schemes profitable for the vulnerable sections of society. More precisely, practicable schemes for better health can be created by the intensive involvement of public and private, by which willingness-to-pay for health can be possible by the lower income groups.

 

Despite increasing acknowledgement that social capital is an important determinant of health and overall well-being, empirical evidence regarding the direction and strength of public-private linkages in the developing world is limited and inconclusive. An increased contribution from the community has been identified as an important financing option. To date, however, there has been little systematic documentation or analysis of experiences with different health financing methods.

 

Currently, the health sector is unable to meet the growing needs of the population and is severely financially constrained. The study estimates the impact of the program on trust and cooperation in rural communities. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (National Health Insurance Programme) is the government initiative to provide quality health facility to the lower income groups. It is important to emphasize that the study does not separate the direction of causality between trust and cooperation. The analysis treats both aspects of social capital equally in the impact study public and private inter-linkages for better health facilities of the Indian society.