The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is indebted to major service providers and is in danger of ‘total collapse’ if resources are not made available soon, warns the Universal Access to Health Care Campaign (UAHC).

UAHC is a national health platform driven by a network of local and international NGOs including the Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR), ISODEC, Essential Service Platform, SEND-Ghana, and Coalition of NGOs in Health.

The group made reference to the failure of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to pay providers for their services for several months.

This has forced service providers to halt services to NHIS card holders.

For instance, the Christian Health Association claimed that NHIS currently owes them over GH¢50 million and would no longer treat patients with the health insurance cards.

Both the Christian Health Association of Ghana and Health Insurance Service Providers Association of Ghana (HISPAG) no longer recognise NHIS cards, requiring card carriers to pay cash before receiving health care.

NHIS was created with the objective to provide basic affordable healthcare services to all citizens of Ghana.

According to a 2013 World Bank Report, if NHIS continues its current funding strategy – a combination of money received via NHIL and inconsistent payment from members – it would surely go bankrupt.

Sidua Hor, National Coordinator of UAHC, explained that many people are unable to pay the NHIS annual premium, and total enrollment is only at 34%.

He said there are a lot of inefficiencies with the scheme arising from poor payment of premium and membership card administration.

“The cost of claims administration is estimated to have increased by around 40 folds since 2004,” he said.

The Christian Health Association and HISPAG have appealed to the Ministry of Health to set up an adjudication committee to resolve the dispute between the NHIA, service providers and insurance subscribers.