title: Preferences for benefit packages for community-based health insurance: an exploratory study in Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is important that community-based health insurance (CBHI) schemes are designed in such a way as to ensure the relevance of the benefit packages to potential clients. Hence, this paper provides an understanding of the preferred benefit packages by different economic status groups as well as urban and rural dwellers for CBHI in Southeast Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study took place in rural, urban and semi-urban communities of south-east Nigeria. A questionnaire was used to collect information from 3070 randomly picked household heads. Focus group discussions were used to collect qualitative data. Data was examined for links between preferences for benefit packages with SES and geographic residence of the respondents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respondents in the rural areas and in the lower SES preferred a comprehensive benefit package which includes all inpatient, outpatient and emergencies services, while those in urban areas as well as those in the higher SES group showed a preference for benefit packages which will cover only basic disease control interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Equity concerns in preferences for services to be offered by the CBHI scheme should be addressed for CBHI to succeed in different contexts.
authors.affiliation: Health Policy Research Group, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu-Campus, Enugu.
authors.forename: Obinna
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Onwujekwe
authors.forename: Chima
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Onoka
authors.forename: Nkoli
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uguru
authors.forename: Tasie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nnenna
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Uzochukwu
authors.forename: Soludo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eze
authors.forename: Joses
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kirigia
authors.forename: Amos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petu
mesh_terms: D019058:Community Networks; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007342:Insurance Benefits; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires