Contribution of Insurance Houses and Mutual Health Funds to Care Psychiatric Care in View of the Universal Health Coverage Policy in Cote d Ivoire

Author(s): Koua Asseman Medard, Djo Bi Djo Francois, Brognan Adou Kouakou Franck, Konandri Emeric, Akpa Akme Sylvie, Koffi Danmaukan Dimitri Kevin, Balde Mariam, Koffi Yao Georges Levis.

The supply and access to mental health care remains limited in Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast making it difficult to care for people suffering from mental disorders which are in perpetual growth. Financial accessibility is one of the factors that limits this access to care. One of the solutions to direct payment is health insurance for reduce the burden of healthcare coverage. This prospective cross-sectional study with a descriptive aim concerns 32 health insurance companies in Côte d'Ivoire. It took place over a period of four (04) months from August to November 2018 in Abidjan at the level of the general management of the companies. It emerges from this study that psychiatric pathologies are not covered by insurance organizations (private insurance and CMU). There is only a contribution from mutual health insurance companies (29%) for the coverage of psychiatric pathologies such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, chronic and acute psychotic disorders. This coverage involves the coverage of essential drugs used in psychiatric care and that of medical services during these psychiatric pathologies. The consensual mode of operation of these companies would be the basis of this non-coverage which had no legal basis. This study shows the interest of integrating psychiatric care into CMU; the establishment of a particular or special health regime for insured or uninsured mentally ill people