The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye has cautioned health service providers in the country to stop acting with impunity over some unpaid arrears.
He made these remarks while responding to a question at a 2023 Health Sector Annual Summit (Day 2) held in Accra.
He said "The fact that we normally run on credit systems and there has been some arrears does not mean service providers should act with impunity"
He added that some persons are using the health insurance to escape responsibilities.
"This is a scheme that pays providers every single month. Every 30 days, hospitals in Ghana are paid an average of GHc150 million in this country. That's about 10 million pounds a month"
Dr. Okoe-Boye hinted that there wasn't transparency in payments hence the introduction of Sunshine policy.
"We wanted to put the file online so that every Ghanaian can click and know that Nkawkaw Government hospital was paid this amount this month and that money paid, last month"
"Some of the hospitals begged us not to put it for everybody to see. So what we've done is that we've given the password to key people representing the organizations. DG has the file and we have Pharmaceutical society too"
He hinted that an organisation which pays an average of 10 million pounds a month every 30 days cannot be said to be insolvent or collapsed.
Dr. Okoe-Boye described some challenges faced by the scheme as Institutional and structured challenges.
He also noted that due to inflationary movements, payments tend to get some erosion due to delays.
Dr. Okoe disclosed that government is working hard to ensure that it reduces the arrears to its barest minimum.
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Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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