Pilot tests on cost recovery in the non-hospital sector : data from the public health facilities in Niger

The goal of these pilot tests is to assess the performance of two methods of paying for health care, so as to identify a payment method for the formulation of a national policy on cost recovery in the non-hospital sector. The pilot tests focus on the public health facilities of the Boboye, Say, and Illela districts. An indirect payment method is being tested in the Boboye district. This payment method consists of a district tax surcharge of 200 CFA francs per tax payer, with a co-payment of 50 CFA francs per adult and 25 CFA francs per child under age five for each illness. A direct payment method is being tested in the Say district. This payment method consists of a lump sum payment per illness for each person who uses a health facility; adults pay 200 CFA francs and children under five pay 100 CFA francs. The third district, Illela, which represents the status quo for the policy of free health care, is serving as the control area for the tests. The data summarized in this report cover the period from May 1993 to February 1994-- the first 10 months of the test year. The data describe the performance of cost recovery in terms of its impact on the use of the public health facilities, the continuity of treatment, the amount of medicines used, the amount of receipts taken in from cost recovery, the amount spent on medicines and administration, and the amount recovered for these expenditures on medicines and administration. (Author abstract)