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Ghana: National Health Insurance hit by GH¢300 million deficit

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Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, says the National Health

Insurance Authority (NHIA) is facing a funding gap of almost 300

million Ghana cedis.

Dr Agyemang-Mensah said the NHIA urgently needs that money to be able

to meet its obligations.

According to him, funds allocated to the Authority by the 2014 Budget

is inadequate to enable it meet its operations, although funds for

disbursement of claims to service providers has seen some

improvements.

"The NHIA has on a cash-basis received an amount of 882 million [Ghana

cedis] including claims arrears for 2013. Out of this amount a total

of 746 million [Ghana cedis], representing 84.55% of the total receipt

was assigned to claims payment", he revealed.

Aside the lack of funds, he revealed that delays by the Authority to

pay claims to service providers to ensure quality healthcare delivery

in the country has been one of the major setbacks of the health

insurance scheme.

He said there are talks with the Finance Ministry to prevent late

release of funds to the NHIA, another impediment in the Authority's

quest to ensure smooth operation.

Service providers say the situation is not creating an effective room

for dispensing quality healthcare to subscribers.

A member of the Health Committee of Parliament Dr. Kwabena Twum

Nuamah, however, believes the Finance Ministry is violating the NHIA

Act by delaying disbursement of funds to the Authority.

According to him if this continues, it could have serious impact on

healthcare delivery in the country.

NHIA has the mandated to secure the implementation of a national

health insurance policy that ensures access to basic healthcare

services to all Ghanaians.

Credit: Myjoyonline

Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku

I am a Ghanaian Broadcast Journalist/Writer who has an interest in General News, Sports, Entertainment, Health, Lifestyle and many more.

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