We're not in crisis -NHIA

We're not in crisis -NHIA

By Mohammed Awal

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says it is not in "crisis" as being reported in some sections of the media.

Sylvester Mensah

Media reportage suggests that the NHIA was in 'turmoil' due to the introduction of the Biometric Membership Solution (BMS) to biometrically register its subscribers.

But the Authority vehemently rejected these claims contending that it was misleading and inaccurate.

The Deputy Chief Executive in-charge of Operations, Nathaniel Otoo at a press briefing last week Thursday said the NHIA was not in turmoil but it has a problem which is manageable. "We are not in a crisis. We have a situation that is manageable," said Mr. Otoo.

In January this year, the NHIA introduced the 'instant issuance' of health insurance Identification (ID) Card system based on biometric data.

The process began as a roll-out in the Greater Accra region after a pilot of it on the security personnel (military and police) in two districts of the Region- Ayawaso and La.

Currently, the process has been extended to the Central and Eastern Regions respectively and the Ashanti Region will be the next to join instant issuance of the ID cards regime.

Data Integrity

The implementation of the BMS was meant to resolve ID card management "challenges" that hitherto bedeviled the scheme, the Director Management Information at the NHIA, Perry Nelson said.

The BMS, he said would address the perennial issues of "data integrity, authentication of subscribers, inability to link subscriber hospital attendance to claim forms and multiple registrations in the membership database."

This, Mr. Nelson stated, would bring about more efficiency in service delivery that would in effect minimize the opportunities for "abuse and fraud and promote cost-containment."

The instant BMS ID card initiative was expected to make identification of both the ID Cards and its bearer at the point of healthcare service more effective by enhancing data credibility and cleaner data, said Mr. Nelson.

He further contended that it would increase efficiency in the NHIS and also curb the problems of duplication of records on subscribers.

Who is qualified to register

Any resident in Ghana is qualified to own the NHIS card. And it includes all citizens and legally resident foreigners in the country.

Once you live in any part of the country covered by the new biometric system you are eligible to. The registration will be carried out at all districts offices of the NHIA.

To ensure the centers are not congested, the public is advised to only register when their current cards are nearing expiration period.

Also, the NHIA said should note that both old and new cards are acceptable at health care centers until the old one are gradually phased out of the system.