Upper East health service providers agree to operate NHIS
Members of the Upper East Regional branch of the Health Insurance Service Providers Association of Ghana (HISPAG) have rescinded their decision to revert to the cash-and-carry system at health facilities in the area due to constant delays in the payments of their claims by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
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They have also agreed to continue billing clients based on the old tariff regime until the new revised tariff list is released by the NHIA.
The Upper East Regional Director of the NHIA, Mr Sebastian Alapulinsa, made these known during the 2015 annual review meeting of the NHIA in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.
He said the decision followed a meeting the NHIA had with members of the association at which the members were informed about the payment of their June 2015 claims with an assurance to pay the July arrears soon.
The director said the scheme was currently owing the service providers about four months’ claims and that every effort was being made to settle those arrears.
Targets
Mr Alapulinsa said the region was able to achieve 91 per cent of its membership drive in 2015 with the Bongo, Talensi and Nabdam districts and the Bolgatanga municipality exceeding their targets.
He said even though the rest of the districts did not exceed their targets, they had made remarkable gains as most of them achieved 71 per cent.
He said in order to achieve universal coverage for the region, the authority had opened one more office at Pusiga to add up to the eight existing district offices and that plans were advanced to decouple the Builsa South office from Builsa North.
Challenges
Mr Alapulinsa said delayed payments of claims and network connectivity was their major challenges, coupled with logistical constraints which included inadequate computers and generators.
Confirmation
When contacted, the Upper East Regional President of HISPAG, Dr Francis Asaana, confirmed they had rescinded their decision but that so far, only one health facility had received its June claims.
“We are waiting to see if the rest of the payments will hit our accounts by Friday,” he said.