Portability of health insurance benefits in eac:the case of Tanzania’s national health insurance scheme.

Health is an essential aspect that needs to be protected for the development of any Regional Economic Community (REC). Health insurance is one of the preferable policies whereby individuals are assured to obtain health services in case of a contingency. For the REC like EAC which allows free movement of people including workers, portability of health insurance benefits is of great essence. This study examines the legal framework that governs portability of health insurance benefits in EAC. Tanzania’s national health insurance benefits scheme is presented as the case study.The study reveals that the Tanzanian legal framework that governs health insurance schemes does not adequately cover portability of health insurance benefits in EAC. The lacuna limits individuals from fully benefiting from the opportunities emanating from the EAC Common Market. Furthermore, the study unveils that among the major factors limiting portability is the focus of the Tanzanian government currently which is to strengthen the existing health insurance schemes rather than expanding its scope to allow portability. This is especially through increasing the coverage of individuals in the schemes. Also there are some efforts done at the regional level towards having portability of social security benefits in general.Finally the study suggests some recommendations for both Tanzania and the EAC legal framework.