Ghanaians are losing hope in the NHIS-Kwabena Mintah Akandoh
Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health
Prosper Kwaku Selassy Agbitor 
The Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, Honourable Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has alleged that Ghanaians are losing hope in the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS).
According to him, the average use of the scheme which has reduced drastically was clear evidence of his claim.
He explained that the Average Encounter per member per year has reduced from 2.87 a year in 2016 to 2.75 times a year in 2021, a difference of 0.12 decline in patronage.
The Ranking Member attributed the sharp decline to factors including the unwillingness of private providers to offer services to cardholders.
"NHIS cards are now reduced to being used for primary or basic services at most health facilities. This is clearly expressed in the average claim per member reducing from GHS97.70 in 2016 to GHS69.02 in 2021. Cardholders have no faith that they will receive good service should they use their cards for secondary or tertiary health services", he said.
He underscored the urgent need for the government to up its effort to give the much-touted NHIS, a facelift in regaining the enviable name it used to have and whipping back the interest of the citizenry.
He said contrary to what the Akufo-Addo government wanted Ghanaians to believe, the evidence has now been clear for all to see.
He disclosed at a press conference stating that the annual claims and subsidies grew with utilization from GHS731.25million in 2013 to GHS1.4 billion in 2017 only for the same to drop to GHS1.0billion in 2020.
"Service providers are opting to treat patients who pay cash or use private health insurance to patients who rely on the NHIA card.
He further indicated that the fast-diminishing value of the cedi also affects most inputs required within the health sector.
He indicated that the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS) owes service providers a whooping GHS2.5billion as of the end of March 2022 and wondered how effective service providers would be expected to deliver.
This, he attributed to nonpayment of claims filed as far as July 2021.
"If you consider the fact that we are experiencing a hyperinflationary period with March inflation year-on-year being reported to have inched closer to 20%. One wonders how service providers who are owed as much are supposed to manage to keep their businesses afloat", he explained.
He explained that his claim was evident in the average use of the scheme or Average Encounter per member per year which has reduced from 2.87 a year in 2016 to 2.75 times a year in 2021.
He attributed the decline to factors including the unwillingness of probate providers to offer services to cardholders.
"NHIS cards are now reduced to being used as for primary or basic services at most health facilities. This is clearly expressed in the average claim per member reducing from GHS97.70 in 2016 to GHS69.02 in 2021. Cardholders have no faith that they will receive good service should they use their cards for secondary or tertiary health services", he observed.
He underscored the urgent need for the government to up its effort to give the much-touted NHIS, a facelift in regaining the enviable name it used to have and whip the interest of the citizenry.
He disclosed at a press conference stating that the annual claims and subsidies grew with utilization from GHS731.25million in 2013 to GHS1.4 billion in 2017 only for the same to drop to GHS1.0billion in 2020.
"Service providers are opting to treat patients who pay cash or use private health insurance to patients who rely on the NHIA card.
He further indicated that the fast-diminishing value of the cedi also affects most inputs required within the health sector.
He said the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS) owe service providers a whooping GHS2.5billion as of the end of March 2022 and wondered how much would be expected from service providers.
This is nonpayment to nonpayment of claims filed as far as July 2021.
"If you consider the fact that we are experiencing a hyperinflationary period with March inflation year-on-year being reported to have inched closer to 20%. One wonders how service providers who are owed GHS2.5 as far back July 2021 were supposed to manage to keep their businesses afloat", he exclaimed.
