Health Insurance Service Providers Association of Ghana (HISPAG) Upper East Region branch has threatened to soon turn away National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card bearing members who will be visiting their facilities if monies owed them by the authority are not paid.
According to HISPAG, despite several plea and meetings with the scheme to get their money paid them, most providers have received only February claims while the rest have accumulated till the ninth month of the year without payment. HISPAG members in the region at a press conference in Bolgatanga said health delivery at their facilities is hampered due to the delay in payment of claims by the authority.
Dr. Francis Asaanah, Chief Executive Officer of Quality Group of Companies who doubles as Upper East president of HISPAG stated “we in the region have given them additional 2 months period after their mandatory three (3) months, after which if claims are not paid, we shall inform them and stop accepting NHIS cards in our facilities”.
The service providers say the situation if not immediately addressed may compel them to import fake and cheaper drugs in order to keep their facilities running. They added that the drug tariff has not been reviewed upwards since 2014 after their appeals with the scheme for an upwards review. HISPAG members in the region further stated that over 50% of the prices of drugs on the scheme list are below the lowest market prices. “We have given the scheme up to 30th September to come out with a realistic drug tariff else we will be compelled to do co-payment of the drugs by 1st October 2015” the statement added.
Members of the Health Insurance Service Providers Association of Ghana are also threatening to charge patients extra amount for all surgical procures if National Health Insurance Authority continue to pay no heed to their appeals for upwards service tariff.
The national health insurance authority is embarking on sensitization ahead of the capitation that will soon be rolled out. However, members of HISPAG are calling on the authority to pay monies due them before the enrollment of capitation.
Upper East Regional president of HISPAG, Mr. Asaanah in a statement noted “this is in the constitution of the NHIA and we plead that on no occasion should we be forced to start capitation without being paid all our monies”.
Director of Ayamfooya memorial hospital, Thomas More added that NHIA policy of letting health facilities in the region move to Tamale to submit their claims is having a lot of financial hardship on members. Mr. More questioned “every health insurance office has a claims officer and what are they doing. The regional office is seated here in Bolgatanga. We plead on them to set up a claims processing center there.”
By: Joshua Asaah | A1RADIOONLINE.COM | GHANA
