The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) prior to the announcement in Parliament by Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori Atta a couple of months ago, had disbursed in excess of GHc92 million following which additional funding of GHc300, 000, 000 was received from the government soon after that presentation.
Additional funds have since been received from government which now totals GHc598, 940, 611.70 paid to NHIS service providers as Claims payments and includes withholding taxes due to them.
These payments were effected between January 1 and June 16, 2020 in the following order: public health facilities received GHc315,673,613.56 representing 52.8% of the payments while private service providers have been paid GHc171,959,798.56 amounting to 28.8%. Mission health facilities (CHAG) have received GHc100,447,987.95 representing 16.8% and Quasi-Government service providers have been paid GHc10,030,051.21 representing 1.7% of the total payments made so far.
The NHIA has affirmed its comitment to further reduce any outstanding claims to ensure that the Scheme’s members continue to receive quality healthcare while ensuring that service providers who are critical partners in the NHIA’s drive to attain Universal Health Coverage (UHC) are adequately resourced.
Management of the Scheme recently re-assured service providers and the general public of their commitment to ensure prompt payment of claims and the judicious use of tax payers’ funds.
Historically, the NHIA has paid on average GHc85 million as monthly claims bills to service providers and so the latest prompt payments indicate that a little over GHc100 million is being paid to cover claims bills every month.
The NHIS has over the past sixteen years grown to become a major instrument for financing health care delivery in Ghana and is now the financial mainstay of over 4,600 credentialed healthcare service providers in the country accounting for more than 85% of funds that flow into healthcare facilities to treat NHIS members.
The Scheme is credited with improvements in the healthcare-seeking behaviour of many people in Ghana who now tend to seek medical attention earlier than before, thereby avoiding unnecessary deterioration in their health conditions. The NHIS continues to provide financial access to healthcare for many people who otherwise could not afford the cost of their healthcare.
More people are visiting various NHIS credentialed health institutions across the country on account of the Scheme. In fact, the NHIS in November 2019, recorded the highest active membership of over 12 million since its inception and this is still growing.
As a major stakeholder in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHIA is determined to reduce any outstanding claims due service providers to ensure that adequate resources are available to all healthcare facilities.
