Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS)International in partnership with Open Society Initiative for West Africa(OSIWA), has launched a report that exposes the flaws in the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS).
The flaws include fraud, limited funding, information asymmetries, delay in payments of claims and poor service quality.
The report titled, “Making the National Health Insurance Scheme work for the people” seeks to advocate and influence policymakers and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen the health outcomes and welfare of subscribers
In an opening remarks, the West African Regional Director of CUTS, MrAppiahKusiAdomako, said the essence of the research was to ensure that the NHIS and its accredited healthcare providers provide utmost care to insurance subscribers, while reducing out-of-pocket expenses in using the scheme.
He said the government is committed to improving healthcare access for all Ghanaians introduced a social intervention programme known as NHIS.
It was to increase the affordability and utilisation of drugs and health services, especially among the poor and most vulnerable
“Ghana’s NHIS was created by the NHIS Act (Act 650) in 2003 and became one of very few attempts by a sub-Saharan African country to implement a national-level, universal health insurance programme,” he added.
Despite significantly improved healthcare delivery in the country, the scheme he said was not without challenges, preventing it from being as impactful as possible.
MrAdomako said the research was done in Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra and Northern Regions using in-depth desk reviews, qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis
He said respondents understood that the scheme was introduced to alleviate financial burdens on Ghanaian, especially the aged, less privileged and vulnerable at hospitals and was introduced to replace the cash and carry system where one needed to pay before treatment.
However, it lacked an established customer complaint or recourse policy written down for customers to follow.
President of the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health, Bright Amissah, recommended increased funding, better monitoring and evaluation processes to ensure that subscribers’ healthcare needs were met.
In response, a representative from the NHIS, DrAdwoaTwum-Barimah, disclosed that her outfit was trying to expand benefit package gradually to meet the health needs of beneficiaries.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY AND JESSEL THERSON-COFIE
