EFFECTS OF THE USE OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE CARD (CAM) ON RURAL HOUSEHOLDS HEALTH SPENDING.

This government measure of financing health through subsidies aim at a long-term objective of ?health for all? in particular rural people who are normally poor and financially excluded from healthcare services. The cost of one CAM is BIF 3000 (=$1.69) and is bought by household. The government pays subsidies to health centers according to the quantity of patients received. The beneficiaries of medical assistance card (CAM) are divided in two categories of people: (i) children aged between 5 years to 13 years old and from 14 years and above. Outpatient for the first category pays BIF 800 (=$0.45) while outpatient for the second category pays BIF 500 (=$0.25). And admitted patients for the two categories pays BIF 1000 (=$0.56) per day. And the government reimburses BIF 3200 (=$1.80) to health centers for health care services provided to a patient aged between 5 years and 13 years and BIF 2000 (=$1.12) for a patient aged from 14 years and above. With regards to admitted patients, the government reimburses BIF 360 (=$0.20) per day. This paper empirically evaluates the effects of the use of medical assistance card (CAM) on households health spending. The paper argues that CAM holders are paying higher cost on drugs in the private sector while the government reimburses health centers for services not provided to beneficiaries.