Case Study
Community Health Plan (CHeaP Kenya): Notes from a Visit 1-2 July 2002
A case of comprehensive health care in Kenya
20 pages
This paper describes the ‘Community Health Plan’ (CHeaP) of the microfinance organization, CENT, based in Kisumu Kenya.
The paper states that CHeaP:
- Aimed to help people cope with the many health issues in their lives;
- Had an entirely social mission;
- Did not do well despite receiving an enthusiastic response, as it was fraught with inefficiencies and disorganization.
The paper presents the following information about CHeaP:
- Eligibility criteria, the extent and duration of cover, exclusions, limitations, mode of delivery;
- The pricing, process of enrolment/renewal, the people involved and the promotion;
- The prevention activities that it undertakes;
- The institutional structure, management and governance, partnerships, client expectations and risk management.
The paper concludes by listing lessons that CHeaP has learned. These include:
- Effective administration of a credit product does not qualify a microfinance institution (MFI) to deliver a health insurance product;
- There must be protection of the MFI capital. CHeaP capital was quickly depleted in covering health care financing claims;
- Institutions need to follow the full development process and not just rollout with a concept;
- The product and operations need to support both the community as well as the institution;
- While health insurance products generate significant interest, this does not necessarily translate into actual demand.
About this Publication
Published