Fiscal Space and Financing for National Health Insurance in Botswana
Categories: Health Finance, Health Insurance (CBHI, SHI), Publications
Resource Type: Publication
Authors: Health Finance and Governance (HFG) Project
Published: September 2018
Resource Description: This brief summarizes the main findings and policy implications of a Fiscal Space Analysis conducted by HFG (Jefferis 2018). The purpose of the analysis is to contribute to the policy dialogue concerning NHI in Botswana by estimating the potential revenue that could be gained from health insurance contributions. By estimating this potential revenue, the report is intended to advance the conversation related to NHI and universal health coverage in Botswana.
Resource Type: Publication
Authors: Keith Jefferis
Published: September 2018
Resource Description: The main purpose of this report is to estimate the potential revenue that could be gained from health insurance contributions raised through a levy on incomes. As described in the Health Financing Landscape Analysis and in the National Health Financing Strategy 2019-2023, Botswana’s health system faces the twin challenges of 1) raising resources to pay for growing health needs, and 2) improving the efficiency of the health system to ensure value for money (MOHW and HFG 2018). Meanwhile, as Botswana’s economy diversifies and revenue from minerals becomes a smaller share of government revenue, the Government of Botswana (GOB) is facing a slow but steady fiscal contraction; as described in NDP 11, this will require a reduction of government spending as a percentage of economic activity (GOB 2017). Thus, while spending is relatively unconstrained in the short term, policymakers are interested in analyzing potential alternative financing sources for the health sector, beyond the direct funding of the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) in the general budget.
