1. The social embedding of PRHPS through the CBOs among adivasis, dalits, fishermen and women mentioned in the introduction helps in ensuring a large membership base, instilling a sense of ownership of the scheme among its members, prompt premium collection and prevention of moral hazards and fraud.
2. Tribal solidarity existing among the adivasis of Koraput area is a major factor in enlisting a large chunk of the scheme’s membership, ensuring regular payment of premium and also preventing moral hazards and frauds.
3. PREM-Plan’s development programmes and income generation programmes in particular would be improving the financial and health status of members and also enabling them to pay the premium.
4. As the scheme is set up under the banner of UMSB an apex organisation of self help groups it helps in organising the collection of premium. Self Help groups also provide transport costs to needy patients for utilising the scheme.
5. PREM-Plan’s work in health provides a good background for conducting the health insurance programme as part of an overall programme of health promotion including activities in preventive health.
6. Preventive health care programmes of PREM-Plan and peripheral care offered through the VMDs help to reduce referral morbidity and thereby reduce the expenditure load on PRHPS.
7. As the scheme is mainly using the Government health sector for referrals it is to some extent insulated from the various exploitative business practices of the private health sector, though the Govt doctors also are not totally free of such practices.
