16 Reasons Why Ghanaians Must Embrace the National Health Insurance Scheme Programme

Godwin Ayiku Features Dec - 24 - 2014 , 18:10

The National Health Insurance Scheme provides coverage for the payment of health care service benefits to its subscriber’s i.e. medical expenses or claims on behalf of registered members or subscribers a result of sickness or illness or injury or accidents that a member is unexpectedly confronted with, without out of pocket payment.

A registered member or individual or family who fulfilled its obligations by paying an affordable minimum premium automatically is considered as a member of the National Health Insurance Scheme of Ghana subject to annual renewal.

The National Health Insurance Authority which is mandated by law to manage and provide social health insurance scheme to the people of Ghana also fulfills its promise by paying medical claims to its accredited health care providers on behalf of its registered insured members throughout Ghana.

Ghana’s health insurance scheme as a major social health protection financing agency, law was passed by an Act of parliament; National Health Insurance ACT, 2003, ACT 650(Amended Act 2012, Act 852) and became operational in the year 2004.

The major concept for the introduction of the national health insurance scheme was to address the escalating health care costs in the country since independence.

It is to replace the cash and carry system; it is to make health care delivery affordable to Ghanaians and to improve accessibility to healthcare and quality medication.

Ghanaians by all sincerity must embrace the National Health Insurance Scheme programme provided by the Government of Ghana to improve healthcare service delivery in the country especially in the area of public healthcare financing.

The following are some 16 reasons why Ghanaians should embrace the only social health financing intervention programme.

The insured individuals and families are protected against the financial hardships that may result from health care expenses.
It provides minimum yearly premium payment that is affordable to cover medical care services to the insured and their families throughout the year as compare to high cost of premium payment under private mutual health insurance schemes.
The insured individual’s visit the hospital as early as possible before their condition worsens as against the non insured who because of limited funds delay in seeking healthcare.
The insured individuals with chronic diseases i.e. Diabetes, Hypertension have low mortality rate as compare to the non insured
The insured individuals are protected against huge financial indebtedness to friends, families,church etc
Attention is given to the insured individuals at the provider level i.e. hospitals, clinics over the non insured.
Subscribers or the insured under National health insurance scheme have easy access to the nearest accredited healthcare service provider throughout the country.
Yearly out of pocket payment of healthcare expenses by subscribers i.e. individuals; families and organizations are completely eliminated.
Schools, colleges, universities require proof of National health insurance coverage before enrollment or admission of student to avoid incurring huge medical cost on pupils and students.
Due to the high cost of medical care in the country for both service and medicine, the subscriber or the insured have complete peace of mind when it comes to health related issues, since the insured has transferred his or her medical expenses liabilities to the National health insurance scheme
Subscribers and non subscribers have a stake in the benefit package provided by the scheme through the payment of premiums and National health insurance levy .i.e. purchase of goods and services, therefore Ghanaians are under obligation to be registered members of the national health insurance scheme else they might be doing great de-service to themselves.
The insured individuals benefits from over 95% of disease conditions that affect the Ghanaian public
All category of people or class in the society are covered under the national health insurance scheme i.e. The poor, the pro-poor, the aged, pensioners, pregnant women and children, the rich and the non rich, even though some individuals or organizations may decide to have top up medical insurance cover from private health insurance schemes.
It offers the subscriber or the insured the opportunity to avoid self-treatment and other disastrous means of seeking healthcare.
It is also compulsory by law, National health insurance Act 2012, Act 852, section 27(1&12-13) that every citizen or residents of Ghana must be a registered member of the National Health Insurance Scheme.
It is also an offence by law, National health insurance Act 2012, Act 852, section 27(subsection 12-13) if an employer fail to register its employees under the National Health Insurance scheme.