National Health Insurance Scheme (Ghana)

De National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) be de publicly funded healthcare systems wey Government of Ghana establish am for 2003 insyd. Na de program be sam form of national health insurance wey dem establish say ego provide equitable access den financial coverage give basic health care services for Ghanaian citizens. Business magnate Bill Gates dey describe Ghana ein universal healthcare system as de most successful healthcare system wey dey de African continent top. Dem find de system as say emake Ghana ein rate of health insurance one of de highest for Africa insyd, though funding problems go fi complicate ein future.

Birth of Ghana ein National Health Insurance Scheme

De National Health Insurance Scheme be sam form of social intervention wey Government of Ghana establish am for de year 2003 insyd. De scheme dey provide equitable access den financial coverage for basic health care services give residents wey dey Ghana insyd. De objective of de NHIS be say ego secure de implementation of de national health insurance policy wey dey ensure access for basic healthcare services give all residents of Ghana.

Ein Areas of Operation

De National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) get ein headquarters for 36-6th Avenue, Opposite AU Suite, Ridge Residential Area, Accra.

De Authority get sixteen (16) Regional Offices, each of dem be overseen by sam Deputy Director, wey edey one of de sixteen (16) political regions of de nation. Dese offices dey report give de Head Office via de Membership den Regional Operations Directorate. Ebe de Regional Offices wey dey manage District offices for each region insyd. De Authority get totall of 66 district offices den 5 registration centers, ebemanagers wey manage all of dem den dem go report give de Regional offices' Membership den Regional Operations Directorate. De district offices dey serve as de locations give both new member registration den membership renewal for de program.

Ein Health Care Facilities

Aside de premium, subscribers sana for cover sam processing anaa renewal fee for demma ID cards, plus de exception of pregnant women den indigents. De following table dey illustrate various subscriber categories, demma associated payments, den whether dem be subject give sam waiting period."

De National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) authorize various types of healthcare facilities say make dem offer services give ein subscribers.

Dese authorized categories dey include:

• Community-based Health Planning den Services (CHPS)
• Maternity homes
• Health centres
• Clinics
• Polyclinics
• Primary hospitals (district hospitals, CHAG primary hospitals, quasi- Government primary hospitals den private primary hospitals)
• Secondary hospitals
• Tertiary hospitals
• Pharmacies
• Licensed chemical shops
• Diagnostic centres

If sambro fall sick, de initial step for be say dem for visit demma primary healthcare provider. If required, de primary provider go then refer dem go sam higher-level facility. Dem design dis approach say ego enable regional den teaching hospitals make dem focus den treat chaw complex medical conditions, thereby mitigating overcrowding den upholding de quality of healthcare across all levels.

Ein Objectives den Structure

De objective be say ego generate income from diverse channels, consolidate de earnings, den utilize de funds say ego procure healthcare services from care providers.

Ghana ein healthcare funding dey cam from multiple sources, such as de national budget, locally generated resources, contributions from NGOs den philanthropic organizations, external development partners den donors, payroll taxes, de NHIS levy, premiums from de informal sector, private health insurance, den out-of-pocket expenses.

NHIS dey cover outpatient, inpatient, oral den eye care, maternity, den emergencies bah edey exclude cosmetic surgery, HIV drugs, assisted reproduction, echocardiography, angiography, organ transplants, den chaw cancer treatments. No coverage dey give non-cervical/breast cancer treatments den overseas diagnosis.

Ein Premiums

Like all insurance schemes, different types of premiums dey available under de country ein NHIS. Dem group Ghanaian contributors according to demma levels of income. Based for de group top sam Ghanaian contributor go fi dey insyd, dem get specific premium wey dem go fi pay.

De NHIS dey exempt sam individuals from say make dem no pay premiums, edey include contributors for SSNIT wey dey contribute indirectly through sam 2.5% deduction from demma payroll. Oda exemptionsdey include children up to 18 years old, elderly individuals wey dem be above 70 years old, indigents, den pregnant women.

Dem get two main groups of NHIS subscribers: de informal group den de exempt group. Only members of de informal group for pay premium, wey menners for de exempt group insyd no get dis obligation.

De exempt group dey consists of:

• Formal sector employees den de self-employed wey dey contribute give de Social Security den National Insurance Trust (SSNIT contributors)
• Children (menners wey dey under 18 years of age)
• Persons wey dey hia ante-natal, delivery den post-natal health care services (pregnant women)
• Menners wey Minister for Social Welfare classify as indigents
• Categories of differently-abled persons wey Minister responsible for Social Welfare dey determine am
• Menners plus mental disorder
• Pensioners of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT pensioners)
• Menners wey be above seventy years of age (de elderly)

Ein Monitory Body

Ebe National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) wey dey Ministry of Health unders wey dey monitor NHIS.

Ein Controversies

Since de inception of de scheme for 2003 insyd, chaw controversies dey surround ein operation den purpose. De first one be say de members of de opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), wey ein members claim say na de scheme be one wey dem do give members of de New Patriotic Party (NPP). Secof dat na chaw members of NDC no dey want register plus de scheme. Dem revisit de reverse of all de propaganda wey na edey surround de scheme for ein inception for 2009 insyd as NDC take ova power. As NDC for ein campaign tym wey dey lead go 2008 general elections insyd promise say ego make de payment of premiums for de scheme sam one-time event unders. Na dis idea dey NDC demma manifesto insyd. De promise still no cam through secof dem always dey postpone de date for implementation. Chaw critics of de proposal dey claim say eno be just possible say ego support de scheme plus sam one-time premium secof de sustainability of de scheme no go be possible if dem no pay premiums yearly. De promise however no go fi happen for de 8-year reign of NDC demma tym.

Linking of NHIS card plus Ghana Card

For November 2020 insyd, dem introduce short code so say ego facilitate de integration of de National Health Insurance card den de Ghana Card. Na dis dey for line plus de drive so say ego make de Ghana Card de sole means wey you go fi take gain access for public services.

De National Health Insurance Scheme den National Identification Authority dey collaborate say ego ensure say each person go receive demma Ghana card so say dem go combine plus NHIS cards.

Make you sana see

• Health in Ghana
• National health insurance
• Universal health coverage

Demma Contact

Phone: (0) 302 238136/ 233255/ 216970/ 241690

Address: No. 36-6th Avenue, opposite AU Suite, Ridge Residential Area, Accra.

Email: info@nia.gov.gh

Website: https://nhis.gov.gh