Health Insurance Enrollment and Utilization Among Civil Servants in Plateau State

This study examines health insurance enrollment and utilization patterns among civil servants in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria, under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Despite mandatory NHIS enrollment provisions for federal public servants, compliance and active service utilization among civil servants in Plateau State remain inconsistent due to administrative inefficiencies, limited accredited healthcare facilities, and inadequate awareness of scheme benefits. This research employs a cross-sectional descriptive survey involving 380 civil servants selected through stratified random sampling from five state ministries in Jos. Structured questionnaires assess enrollment status, frequency of healthcare utilization, satisfaction with service quality, and knowledge of benefits entitlements. Secondary data from Plateau State NHIS coordination offices supplement primary findings. Descriptive statistics including frequency distributions and means are applied alongside chi-square tests to determine associations between enrollment status and sociodemographic characteristics. The study anticipates finding that enrollment rates are higher among senior cadre officers and that utilization is constrained by distance to accredited health maintenance organizations (HMOs). The research further examines the adequacy of the capitation payment system in incentivizing quality service delivery by HMO-accredited providers. Recommendations are directed at state government administrators and NHIS coordinating bodies seeking to improve scheme coverage among Plateau State civil servants. Keywords: Health Insurance, NHIS, Civil Servants, Plateau State, Healthcare Utilization.