Evaluating the Service Satisfaction and Sustainability of the Afya Insurance Scheme in Kuwait: A Comprehensive Analysis

Abstract

Abstract After evaluating Afya, a health insurance scheme initiated by the Kuwait government for retired nationals to access services from private hospitals, it became clear that although Afya’s beneficiaries were satisfied with the service, they were unable to fulfill their expectations. This issue is further compounded by the rising number of noncommunicable diseases and the nature of the relationship between public and private hospitals. Through this study, the researchers aimed to delineate the current picture of the Afya healthcare insurance scheme in terms of three main aspects: efficiency, inclusiveness, effectiveness and service quality; delivery of services according to the stages of the revenue management cycle; and suitability and long-term sustainability in Kuwait. The study was carried out between June 2021 and August 2022 and involved the use of web-based and hardcopy pilot-tested questionnaires. A random sample of 514 Kuwaiti beneficiaries who had received Afya insurance cards was used to complete the survey. The researchers excluded beneficiaries who did not receive their cards or declined to participate for various reasons. A total of 405 completed surveys were analyzed, for a total response rate of 78.79%. The study results revealed that 95% of participants used private hospitals every time or often, with 78.79% satisfaction with the services utilized. In contrast, when utilizing medical services from government hospitals, respondents preferred to repeat the same services to guarantee accurate laboratory results, diagnoses, and medication. For a well-informed public, to create voluntary participation in long-term sustainability and proper integration of the private and public sectors, the issues need to be identified, and reformation of the existing policies or complete suspension may be needed. We observed that although 94% were asking to improve Afya’s coverage plan, more than half of the respondents suggested suspending the scheme to improve the service with proper research and to avoid financial burdens on the government. The correlation between experience with Afya coverage and beneficiaries’ satisfaction was significant (0.578) at the 0.01 level. In conclusion, to address these concerns and improve retirees' needs, we recommend the complete reformation of Afya through empirically, methodically, and scientifically rigorous research; the proper exchange of patient information between the public and private sectors through the implementation of the Health Information Management System (HIMS); and the inclusion of younger people in the scheme, which will help reduce the premium need for healthcare.