New publication on understanding inactive membership in voluntary contributory scheme

This article by Indimuli et al. (2022) uncovers the causes of inactive membership among informal workers in the context of voluntary contributory health insurance schemes by using the Kenyan national health insurance scheme as a case study.

Udgivet af:

Informal Worker Organisation and Social Protection (Forskningsprojekt)

Af: Raphael Indimuli

A new publication on understanding inactive membership in voluntary contributory scheme is available online. This article by Indimuli et al. (2022) uncovers the causes of inactive membership among informal workers in the context of voluntary contributory health insurance schemes by using the Kenyan national health insurance scheme as a case study.

Acknowledging the inherent differences within the informal economy in terms of sector and individual lines, this article uses micro trade sector which is dominated by women and the most common and visible occupation in African cities as a case to understand inactive membership among informal workers. Making use of both qualitative and quantitative data, the paper explores the relationship between micro traders’ characteristics and inactive membership as well as their reasons for leaving for abandoning the scheme.

This article contends that unmarried voluntary contributors who consider themselves to be healthy and are own-account workers, with low and irregular earnings, are more likely to drop out of the scheme. The key drivers of “inactiveness” are the inability to commit to the payment of regular premiums, due to the irregularity of earnings, the change of employment status from formal to informal, and dissatisfaction with scheme services.

Indimuli, Mitullah, Riisgard, & Kamau. (2022). Understanding inactive membership in voluntary contributory schemes: A case study of micro traders in Kenya. Development Policy Review.2022. https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12647