Intervention(s)
In January 2007, the government of Nicaragua initiated a pilot program that extended the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute’s (INSS’s) health insurance program, which was previously only for formal sector employees, to informal sector workers. The coverage and cost of the program were designed to be as similar as possible to those associated with the program for workers employed in the formal sector. For a flat monthly fee, individuals in the informal sector gained access to a wide range of services with zero co-payment. The cost of the program was structured such that the monthly fee was higher in the first two months, at approximately US$18 per month, and then fell to approximately US$15 per month in subsequent months. The health insurance covered enrolled individuals and dependents under the age of twelve.
This evaluation attempted to measure the determinants of insurance enrollment as well as the impacts of having insurance for informal sector workers by randomly varying the costs and convenience of signing up for INSS health insurance. Individuals were assigned to purchase the insurance at either the INSS central office or the branch office of three participating MFIs: ACODEP, Banco ProCredit, and Findesa.
Between March and June 2007, a few months after the INSS insurance program was rolled out to informal sector workers, a baseline survey was administered to a representative sample of vendors in the three largest open-air markets in central Managua. At the end of the baseline survey, respondents were invited to choose a lottery ticket out of a stack of unmarked, pre-sealed envelopes. The possible lottery prizes included a blank ticket (no prize); an INSS brochure detailing the insurance product; a brochure accompanied by a 6-month insurance subsidy with instructions to sign up at the INSS office; or a brochure accompanied by a 6-month insurance subsidy with instructions to sign up at an MFI office. The 6-month subsidy was worth approximately US$96 and was provided in the form of a voucher; respondents were told that payments would be made on their behalf directly to the INSS. After one year, respondents were then approached for a follow-up survey to measure changes in health and healthcare utilization.