ACCESS Health International partners with Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust, Govt of Karnataka

Conduct workshop on costing of health services for provider payments

The Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage held a workshop on costing of health services for provider payments. The five-day workshop taught participants how to design a costing study and how to train other practitioners to use costing study techniques. Reportedly, the workshop attracted participants from ten Joint Learning Network countries, including India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Ghana, Malaysia, Vietnam, Kenya, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Moldova. The workshop was organised by ACCESS Health International and the Suvarna Arogya Suraskha Trust, Government of Karnataka, on behalf of the Provider Payment Mechanism Costing Collaborative of the Joint Learning Network.

“This workshop was a great learning experience. I was amazed that the costing experts helped us understand the right methodology and customise costing to the context of each country,” said Navneet Jain, Cost Accountant and Managing Partner, Navneet and Company, India.

Effective financing mechanisms are a critical requirement for improving access to healthcare. Among other priorities to advance universal health coverage, such as sound budget allocation and sustainable policy solutions, a shared understanding of how to gather, analyse, and update health services costing information for provider payments is essential to enable a healthcare model that delivers access for all.

Sireesha Perabathina, Associate Director, ACCESS Health Joint Learning Network, said, “Costing of health services is one of the important technical priorities for many countries advancing toward universal health coverage. This train the trainer workshop is a pioneering step toward adopting a scientific approach to costing studies across countries, including India.”

By the end of the workshop, participants were able to design a costing study and were ready to train others in their home countries. Reportedly, the workshop curriculum was designed for those affiliated with government sponsored health insurance programmes; practitioners involved in costing research, data management, health planning. Also included were cost accountants and senior managers of service provider organisations and health insurance funds; finance ministry; and private sector hospital officials who are associated with government institutions.