NHIA to set up task force to battle illegal charges at health facilities

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), says it’s currently collaborating with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to set up a task force, that will deal with health facilities charging illegal fees.

The NHIA has condemned the illegal charges by some health facilities on clients describing it as a dent in the image of the scheme and warned facilities to stop the illegalities.

Speaking at the commissioning of a new office complex for the Lower Manya Krobo NHIA at Nuaso in the Eastern Region, the CEO of the NHIA Dr Aboagye Da Costa emphasised the government’s commitment to weeding out all illegal charges.

“Now we are working with the Ghana Health Service and the Charge facilities to stamp out illegal charges. These charges are destroying the image of the scheme and we don’t want it. When we met with the facilities and the providers they said the tariffs are low.

“Currently, the task force is reviewing the tariffs, once this is done, the Ghana Health Service charge and the NHIS will come up with a task force that will weed out this illegal payment. Government is committed to weeding out these illegal charges.”

Dr. Aboagye Da Costa who added that the scheme is working out modalities for visitors to have mandatory health insurance as part of attaining universal health coverage revealed that its memorandum of understanding with the National Identification Authority for the integration of the Ghana Card to access health care is in full force.

“The government is committed to ensuring our visitors coming to this country. By our Acts, non-Ghanaians are supposed to have insurance, to achieve Universal health coverage. So we are putting measures in place to ensure that, our visitors coming to this country will also have mandatory health insurance.

“We are working out the modalities. The National Health Insurance Authority is working on the modalities and very soon it will be implemented.” Dr. Aboagye Da Costa stated.