Hospitals charging NHIS patients extra fees to face sanctions – President Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has warned health facilities against demanding unauthorised payments from patients who present their National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards, saying institutions found engaging in the practice will face sanctions.
He said the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) was conducting monitoring exercises across health facilities to identify and deal with institutions charging patients additional fees outside approved insurance arrangements.
President Mahama gave the warning when he addressed the 68th Annual General Conference of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), where he outlined government’s healthcare financing reforms and measures to improve access to medical services.
He said government had received complaints about patients being asked to make additional payments despite presenting their NHIS cards to access services covered by the scheme.
“I have received complaints that, despite patients presenting their NHIS cards, some facilities still demand money from them before providing services,” he stated.
The President said the NHIA was monitoring facilities to ensure that patients received the services covered by their insurance without being subjected to unauthorised charges.
“Any facility found charging patients additional fees outside the approved insurance arrangements will be dealt with,” he warned.
President Mahama said the enforcement measures were necessary to protect the benefits of the NHIS and ensure that increased government investment in healthcare translated into improved services for patients.
He disclosed that the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Fund was helping to make reinvestment in healthcare more reliable, with the NHIA now making monthly payments for submitted and vetted claims by healthcare providers.
He further announced that service tariffs under the scheme had increased by 50 per cent since August this year.
“These measures provide greater predictability for health facilities to procure supplies and sustain services to the public,” he said.
The President explained that the improvements in healthcare financing formed part of a broader health architecture bringing together Free Primary Healthcare, the uncapped NHIS and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as MahamaCares.
He said the three programmes were designed to provide a more reliable continuum of care, from early screening and diagnosis at the community level to treatment and specialised care for serious medical conditions.
President Mahama recalled that he launched the Free Primary Healthcare programme in April this year to bring screening, early detection and treatment for selected conditions closer to communities.
He explained that while the NHIS supported investigations and treatment at the district level and above, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund provided support for selected serious conditions requiring specialised care beyond the existing NHIS coverage.
“Together, these three programmes are intended to provide a more reliable continuum of care,” he said.
The President said the Christian Health Association of Ghana’s participation in the Free Primary Healthcare programme was also helping to extend healthcare delivery through faith-based facilities.
He urged healthcare providers to ensure that the resources allocated to the sector were used responsibly and that patients received the services for which they were entitled.
Government, he added, would continue to support the NHIA and healthcare providers in tackling fraud and waste to protect the resources available to the scheme.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
