Table 2 Data sources, their short description and their use for the analysis presented

Georgia Household Health Utilisation and Expenditure Surveys (HUES) in 2007 and 2010

Baseline (in May–June 2007) and follow-up cross-sectional surveys (June 2010) using the exact same methodology and tools with nationally representative sample of households – approximately 3,200 in each wave. The surveys collected information for all members of the households on current and past sickness episodes, including chronic diseases; information on sickness and use of services and related household expenditure for all cases that occurred during the 30-day period prior to interview and all hospitalization cases that occurred during the 12-month period preceding the interview.

The combined survey database was used to: i) assess the utilisation and health expenditure patterns and probability of receiving free benefits by MIP targeted and not targeted population; ii) to estimate catastrophic health expenditure rates.

Georgia Integrated Health Survey (IHS)

Nationally representative household survey conducted each quarter for living standards and poverty monitoring, and other statistical purposes on approx. 3,300 households in 2007 and approx. 6,700 households in 2010.

HUES 2007/2010 sample households were included in the IHS for the respective quarter. This allowed linking sickness, utilisation and health expenditure data, collected in the HUES, with the household consumption level, which provides a proxy for income and is the basis of poverty measurement in Georgia. The household consumption levels established by IHS and HUES 2007/2010 findings on household health expenditure were used by us to estimate the catastrophic health expenditure rates.

MIP Impact Evaluation Survey in Georgia – MIPIES (World Bank, 2008)

The survey sample of approx. 3,500 households with a balance of MIP beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries was drawn from the MIP applicants database for 7 regions of the country accounting for 74% of the total population. The survey conducted in November–December 2008 collected information on a range of variables, including utilisation of and OOP expenditure on preventive and curative services.

Survey findings on utilisation and expenditure on MIP beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries were compared to the HUES 2007–2010 findings.