Of all the insurance products that could benefit low-income families, health insurance is the most obviously beneficial and yet quite likely the most difficult to deliver. Excluding one large scheme in China, identified coverage is a dismal 10.2 million low-income people across the 100 poorest countries. Affordable access to quality healthcare services through a dependable pre-paid financing mechanism is extremely desirable. Health microinsurance offers the promise of helping communities pay for quality healthcare by optimally pooling their own limited resources.