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Extending Health Insurance to Informal Sector Workers in Nicaragua

In January 2007, the government of Nicaragua initiated a demonstration project that extended the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute's (INSS') formal sector health insurance program to informal sector workers using MFIs as delivery channels. By offering the INSS' basic package of services and medications to the informal sector, the program aimed to positively impact health outcomes, including reproductive health and family planning (RH/FP), as well as improve financial protection in health for this vulnerable population. This brief presents findings of a randomized evaluation of that pilot project, implemented during 2007–2008 (Hatt et al. 2009). The USAID-funded Private Sector Partnerships- One (PSP-One) project and the Global Development Network cofunded the evaluation activity.