Medical Superintendents Ghana (MSG) has applauded the National Health Insurance Authority for payments it has made to its service providers this year.
The group, had earlier in the year threatened to withdraw its services to the authority due to the huge amount of debt owed them by the NHIA.
President of the MSG, Dr. Joseph Tambil at a media briefing in Takoradi after a Council Meeting, emphatically said “Outstanding debt owed by government currently is for just about six months. This is the best that any government has done since 2009 and we want to urge the NHIA and MOF to keep this up, and also ensure that it is also improved.” He thus commended government for being proactive with the payment, adding that it has eased the burden of health facilities and administrators across the country.”
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has paid a total amount of GHs784, 809,164.70, covering Claims and withholding taxes to service providers.
These payments were effected within the period of January 1 to July 1, 2020, in which National Health Insurance Scheme (|NHIS) service providers in the public sector received GHs422, 809,355.80 million, an indicative of 53.9% whilst those in the private sector collected GHs 217,984,168.59 million, representing 27.8%.
Service providers in Mission health facilities have been paid GHs128,239,257.08 million, scoring 16.4%, and Quasi-Government hospitals service providers collected GHs14,947,222.81 million, representing 1.9% of the payments made so far.
This constant Claims payment schedule and updates reaffirm the Authority’s Chief Executive, Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby’s firm pledge to deepen accountability, transparency and social auditing.
Governmental support
Largely, government’s timely release of funds to the Authority has made it possible for the punctual payments of service providers Claims.
Recently, the Medical Superintendents Group of Ghana (MSG), an umbrella body of all heads of government hospitals at the Regional and District levels as well as CHAG and Quasi-Government facilities in a statement confirmed that government had settled a substantial amount of its indebtedness, one that has been described as ‘unprecedented’ since 2009.
The group prides itself ‘as the ‘General’s that the nation depends on in the delivery of health services, especially in the current war against the COVID-19 pandemic’, it said in the press release.
Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
As Ghana’s lead vehicle to attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030, the NHIA holds in high regard service providers’ efforts to improve the health needs of the Scheme’s cherished members.
Management strongly urges healthcare facilities to promptly settle their debts to the pharmaceutical companies to avoid any disruptions in the medicine supply chain.
For convenience and strict adherence to the practising of the social distancing protocols, NHIS members are advised to renew their membership by dialling *929# using any mobile network with a mobile wallet to enjoy uninterrupted healthcare services.
