Government has uncapped the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), injecting about Gh3.4 billion funds this year to strengthen the scheme for effective access to health care.
The capping was a policy of limiting the amount of revenue from the National Health Insurance Levy allocated to the health insurance fund.
Mr Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, said the government’s decision to uncap the NHIS was part of efforts to strengthen the scheme to be able to address co-payment or illegal charging to ensure an effective free primary health care for all Ghanaians.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Professor Jane Naanabn Opoku Agyemang, the Vice President, at the opening of the NHIA’s two-day Stakeholders’ Conference in Accra, noted that the move had begun yielding results through timely disbursements and increased provider confidence.
He said: “As of today, the total amount funds disbursed by the NHIA to healthcare providers this year stands at Gh2.8 billion.”
The two-day conference is on the theme: “Consolidating Strategic Partnerships for a Resilient and Inclusive Health Insurance Scheme”.
He lauded the Authority’s zero-tolerance campaign against illegal charges, popularly called co-payments, stressing that the persistent practice of unauthorised payments undermines the purpose of the NHIS.
“These illegal fees, often demanded at the point of need, erode public trust, deepen inequality, and place undue burden on the poor and vulnerable,” he said.
Mr Debrah called for intensified public education to promote the scheme and correct misconceptions about its operations.
Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister of Health, reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthen the NHIS through sustainable funding, realistic tariffs, and decisive reforms aimed at achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
He said the scheme’s sustainability was due to strong domestic resource mobilisation and indicated that measures are being implemented for realistic tariffs for service providers.
He described the persistent illegal charges, as a breach of public trust and urged the NHIA to reward compliant facilities while sanctioning those exploiting patients.
On the Free Primary Healthcare Policy, the Minister reiterated government’s resolve to fast-track the Policy, which would allow all Ghanaians insured or not to access essential health services at no cost.
Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe, Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA, disclosed that the NHIS currently covers 95 per cent of all health conditions with 16.5 million active members, with a target of reaching 20 million by the end of the year.
He outlined initiatives such as the Co-payment Taskforce, MyNHIS App, cashless premium collection and telehealth services to make healthcare more accessible and transparent.
He commended the Goaso Municipal Hospital for successfully eliminating co-payments and encouraged other facilities to follow its example.
The two-day conference, underway in Accra, has brought together policymakers, health experts, traditional leaders, civil society organisations and development partners to strengthen collaboration towards achieving universal health coverage.
GNA
