L’Union des Mutuelles de Santé de Guinée Forestière - Guinea (CGAP Working Group on Microinsurance Good and Bad Practices Case Study No. 17)

Publication Date: Oct 2005
Published by: CGAP Working Group on Microinsurance
Document Type: Case Study (PDF)

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Some insights into the community-based model of health insurance

The Forestry Guinean Mutual Health Organizations’ Union (UMSGF) was established as part of an International Centre for Development and Research (CIDR) programme in 1999. In the absence of an appropriate regulatory framework, CIDR opted to register the union as a not for-profit organisation to promote a democratic culture within mutual organisations.

The long-term objective is to create a sustainable regional network that can:

• Strengthen the capacities of health service users to benefit from quality health care at a reasonable price and to negotiate their financial contribution.
• Be linked with other financial mechanisms, such as an equity fund for the coverage of the disabled, who cannot afford paying insurance premiums.

The case study concludes on following lessons:

• Product design: Inclusion of outpatient care in the benefits packages need to be taken into consideration.
• Marketing and communication strategy: Even if information is available all the time, scheme members also need to receive practical information when they actually fall sick.
• Sustainability strategy: The target market is the low-income population with a limited ability to pay. Therefore the technical unit will cover its costs by diversifying its market base and providing services also to higher-income groups.