|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Ministry of Health in Ghana has issued a warning to health service providers against charging patients for services already covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, stated that co-payment, a separate charge imposed by service providers for conditions already covered by the scheme, had become a major challenge for the scheme. He called on service providers, particularly the Ghana Health Service (GHS), to help address the situation.
According to Agyeman-Manu, co-payments create a barrier to access, and the Ministry is working to end the illegality through meaningful engagements. Maternal services such as deliveries are supposed to be free, but some facilities are charging patients as high as GH¢1,000 for the service, which he described as unacceptable. He added that co-payments have been banned, and that the President hates to see poor patients being charged out of pocket for healthcare services.
The minister said the NHIS was still effective and continued to provide unfettered access to healthcare delivery. He urged managers of the GHS, who constitute about 70 percent of healthcare provider agencies under the ministry, to combat the canker that could make the NHIS unattractive.
In January this year, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, cautioned facilities against co-payment arrangements or risk losing their accreditation. He announced that very soon, the accreditation of health facilities that additionally charge active NHIS patients with impunity will be revoked.
In February this year, the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) reviewed upward the prices of medicines and services paid to the service providers and suppliers on the health insurance scheme to prevent them from making losses or refusing to offer services. The minister said the reviews were necessary to enhance service delivery for subscribers and give providers value for money to avoid certain gaps in accessing medications and services under the scheme.
source:locotvgh.com