International Maritime Hospital Starts to Treat NHIS Members
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The International Maritime Hospital (IMaH) in Tema will, effective Wednesday, July 5, 2023, begin treating clients enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), in alignment with the National Health Insurance Act. This development follows a brief ceremony held on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, at the Tema-based hospital, where the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) management officially presented a credential certificate to the hospital.
During the ceremony, NHIA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye highlighted the significance of adding IMaH to the NHIA’s network of providers, noting that it would help Ghana progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
“While we welcome the International Maritime Hospital into the NHIA family of providers, I am confident that it will become a model facility, upholding the principles of health insurance and delivering quality care to all patients. We hope this partnership will thrive and assist NHIA and Ghana in reaching UHC,” he said.
To meet the government’s UHC goal of 80% by 2023, Dr. Okoe-Boye outlined new strategies introduced by the NHIA to increase enrollment in the scheme.
“Mr. Chairman, achieving UHC in Ghana also requires the NHIA to expand geographic access to healthcare and work towards eliminating out-of-pocket payments for insured members at healthcare facilities.”
The NHIA has introduced innovative measures to make enrollment easier, including the “My NHIS App,” launched last December by Vice President Dr. Alhaji Bawumia. This app allows individuals and third parties with a Ghana card to self-enroll at their convenience. NHIS membership can also be renewed via the My NHIS App or using the USSD code *929#.
He also highlighted other improvements, such as an efficient claims management system, stating that “currently, 86% of our claims are submitted and reviewed electronically, compared to just two years ago when 80% were manually vetted.”
“Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to announce that, for the first time in years, the government, led by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo through the Ministry of Finance, is releasing funds more promptly to the NHIA. This has enabled us to reimburse healthcare providers with an average of GHC150 – GHC200 million monthly.”
In the past month alone, the NHIA has paid GHC367 million to over 4,500 credentialed facilities across the country to settle claims up to December 2022.
He further noted that additional payments would soon be made to cover January claims, allowing NHIS to remain within the accepted 90-day arrears window by owing providers only for February and March 2023 claims.
“The NHIS is stronger today, and we are committed to continuous improvement,” he added.
Dr. Okoe-Boye expressed concerns over illegal out-of-pocket charges imposed on NHIS subscribers by some healthcare facilities. He noted that a review of the NHIA’s national report is underway, and guidance on sanctions for non-compliant facilities will soon be published.
IMaH’s CEO, Dr. Afriyie Akwasi Acheampong, expressed optimism about the collaboration, hoping it will enable all Ghanaians to access high-standard healthcare at IMaH.
“Today marks a new milestone as we partner with the NHIA. It is a significant achievement, and we aim to provide all citizens with access to IMaH’s international-standard care,” he said.
IMaH’s Board Chair, Professor Gladys Amponsah, emphasized that the partnership with NHIS would expand the hospital’s reach to more Ghanaians.
Additionally, Dr. Alex Adusei, representing the Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), stated that this new arrangement aligns with the authority’s Corporate Social Responsibility objectives.
“To contribute to Ghana’s economic development, we built this facility not only for our workers but also for the broader community. Adding NHIS strengthens our mission to provide accessible, high-quality healthcare and reinforces our commitment to a forward-thinking international healthcare model,” he said.
The National Health Insurance Scheme, established by the Government of Ghana in 2003, is a publicly funded system designed to provide fair access and financial coverage for essential healthcare services for Ghanaian citizens.
