Idea

The idea for a Dutch health insurance platform was launched during a workshop on health insurance in developing countries organised by three co-financing organisations: Cordaid, ICCO and Plan Netherlands, and the Dutch governmental Directorate General for International Cooperation (DGIS) on the 27^th June 2006. The idea of the platform is based upon two simple observations shared by the large majority of those present at the workshop:

• Health insurance derives from a need for health care services. In various forms, health insurance is emerging in low and middle income countries as an instrument to increase access to and the sustainability of quality health services, and ultimately health. This includes initiatives targeted at low income households, the informally employed, and those with traditionally no access to such financial services.
• The Netherlands has a well developed health insurance market history and has both a wide and deep pool of relevant expertise and experience of governments, enterprises and organisations wishing to explore the possibilities of health insurance.

A platform is then a means to collect and disseminate that experience and knowledge on a voluntary basis.

Activities

Exchaniging knowledge on experiences and innovations in health insurance in low-income countries. HIP organises formal and informal gatherings: regular core group meetings, occasional (biannual) seminars on key and relevant issues, special conferences on issues realted to health insurance in developing countries.

In the medium to longer term the Platform envisages that its members will play an active role in developing and promoting knowledge with respect to health insurance operations, sharing findings from research and practices.

The objectives

The objectives of the Platform are:

• To stimulate collaboration between Dutch organizations and individuals involved in supporting the development of effective health insurance in low and middle income countries;
• To collect, disseminate and exchange information and knowledge on all aspects of health insurance in low and low-middle income countries;
• To contribute to research and an evidence base for health insurance innovation in developing countries and link to other relevant research initiatives and platforms worldwide;
• To contribute to policy development in the Netherlands on health insurance in developing countries.