General News of Sunday, 13 August 2017

Source: kasapafmonline.com

Government pays GHC560 million out of GHC1.2 billion NHIS arrears

President Akufo-Addo President Akufo-Addo

Government has restated it’s commitment to settle all outstanding National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) arrears within twelve months.

According to President Akufo Addo his administration has settled half of the scheme’s debt.

Government owed health providers 12-months arrears amounting to a ?1.2 billion debt with some threatening to withdraw their services because their suppliers, Pharmaceutical companies continue to harass hospitals for non-payments of these bills, while their banks continue to ask for repayments of debts with interests.

But speaking at the 5th swearing in and induction ceremony of 54 Doctors of School of Medical Sciences at the University of Cape Coast, President Akufo Addo assured of his government’s commitment to make the NHIS scheme a reliable scheme that Ghanaians can be proud of.

“My government is determined to solve this urgent problem of unpaid bills to health care providers. So far govenment has by dint of prudent managment within the short space of seven months cleared GHC560million out of GHC1.2billion inherited. I can confidently say that we’ll settle all the arrears within the next twelve months up- to-date on the payment of claims to service providers. It is essential that the businesses of health providers do not collapse.”