The Health Insurance Service Providers Association of Ghana (HISPAG) is threatening to withdraw some of its services from March 2020 if arrears owed its members by the government through the National Health Insurance Scheme are not paid.
The Association said no payment has been made for NHIS claims for up to fourteen months.
Addressing the press on Monday, Executive Director of HISPAG, Frank Torbu said the current situation has made it difficult to run their facilities and pay their employees.
“It has become very clear that the inability of the National Health Insurance to pay our claims is caused by the Ministry of Finance. The persistent narrative that the service providers are unable to submit their claims as a cause of the delay in reimbursement is unattainable. It is very sad that doctors, nurses put their lives at risk to save lives of National Health Insurance cardholders for which payment has not been received but to be put before court for non-payment of PAYE, pension contribution on behalf of their staff.
“We want the National Health Insurance to pay our bills up to 2019 September. We also demand that a comprehensive reimbursement plan be put together for us to sign as parties to this whole process. We have an immediate action to take if all these conditions are not met. Effective March 2020, the providers will be compelled to withdraw some services which continue to create a financial burden, especially those that are not within our control.”
In February 2018, HISPAG had threatened to return to the cash and carry system if arrears owed its members by the National Health Insurance Authority [NHIA], are not paid immediately.
HISPAG had said most of its members are owed about 20 months of claims, a situation that threatens their operations.
The Association, therefore, called on the government to take action to have the situation fixed as soon as possible, to prevent any future inconveniences.
