The National Health Insurance Authority has held its maiden stakeholder engagement in Accra to meet with Providers and other stakeholders to discuss the progress made, challenges, and roadmap for a better health delivery system in Ghana.

In an open discussion targeted at enhancing the relationship between NHIA and its stakeholders, participants from various health institutions across the county took turns to make suggestions and recommendations on issues that confront them in their daily line of work.

Addressing participants at the meeting, the Special Guest of Honor, Deputy Minister of Health, Hon Kinsey Aboagye- Gyedu said although the NHIA has currently credentialed over 4,300 health facilities across the country the onus lies on Providers to collectively agree to totally eliminate the incidence of unauthorized fees that are charged NHIS members by the credentialed healthcare providers.

Dr. Samuel Annor, Chief Executive of NHIA emphasized the need for Providers to desist from discriminatory treatment given to NHIS card bearers when the visit the facilities to access healthcare. He advised Providers that it's also part of their mandate to call on the NHIA and Government and ask for reviews on the NHIS service tariffs.

In her presentation on the 2018 key findings, the Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations at NHIA, Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby said currently although there has been lots of positive impact with Providers with regards to credentialing activities, NHIA is still faced with the challenge of health facilities borrowing staff to be present on days of credentialing.

She cautioned culprits involved in that act to desist from it. On issues of claim management, Dr. Selby stated that the Authority had trained all Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), facilities across the country on the electronic claims management and processing. She emphasized the need for all Providers to migrate on to the E- Claims system since it enables the NHIA to plan better.

Mobile renewal service

Most of the stakeholders present agreed to the fact NHIS that the mobile renewal service has been very beneficial to the members across the country. They made suggestions on enhancing the platform to allow new members the opportunity to also register using their mobile phones.

The NHIS mobile renewal service was piloted in April last year in the Asuogyaman and West Mamprusi District of Ghana and was rolled out in December, 2018. Currently, 75,000 people renew their annual membership weekly using the short code*929#. A total of 3,800 Providers authenticate daily to generate Claims Check Code (CCC) for NHIS members who visit their facilities.

The meeting brought representatives from stakeholders from Ridge Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Police Hospital, 37 Military Hospital , Pharmacy Council, Ghana Medical Association, NHIA Board and Medical Superintendents and Administrators of other health institutions across the country.