title: Accessibility to the health insurance of the medical union in alexandria.
abstract: Utilization of care is very important because of its link to access, quality of care and because of its importance to outcome. The aim of the study was to clarify the barriers towards accessibility to the Health Insurance of the Medical Union plan and to explain reasons why participants covered by other health insurance systems are using the Health Insurance Medical Union (HIMU). The study was carried out at the health insurance project situated in Alexandria Medical Syndicate. The insured members of HIMU included four specialties namely; physicians, pharmacists, dentists and veterinarians and their families. The sample amounted to 782 members. The highest reasons for participation in the project were freedom of choice of laboratory and/or radiology clinics 73.9%, affiliated providers (physicians and hospitals) offer good quality care to members 62.6%, and simplicity of getting services and/or referral system 59.2%. Whereas the highest reasons for not participating or continuing with the project were high premiums for members: high premium of parents accounted for the highest percentage (13.8%) followed by that of the spouse 9.3%, then high premium for members 5%, and high premium for children 4.9%. The reason that the period of participation was unsuitable for members (October-November-December) accounted for 4.9%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  as a result of reviewing the system of determining premiums there were possibilities of a decrease in the annual premium for those beneficiaries who revealed low subsidies, decreasing cost sharing paid by beneficiaries for both outpatient and inpatient services in some essential services e.g. pregnancy and delivery, as well as vigorous control procedures regarding quality of medical care provided, art of care and price of medical services.
authors.affiliation: Health Insurance Programme of the Medical Union in Alexandria, Egypt. grendol@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Adb El Aziz A
authors.initials: Ael A
authors.lastname: Abd El Aziz
authors.forename: Naila H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Amer
authors.forename: Kamal M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Nazef
authors.forename: Ashraf A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zaghloul