The CEO of the National
Health Insurance Authority, (NHIA) Dr Bernard Okoe-Boye has warned that
hospitals refusing to accept the NHIA cards will soon be decredentialed.
In his view, it
is important for hospitals to provide healthcare to all persons including
people with NHIA cards.
According to Dr
Okoe-Boye, the refusal of hospitals to accept NHIA cards contradicts the
principles upon which the authority was established and undermines the goal of
achieving universal healthcare coverage and leaves vulnerable individuals without
proper medical assistance.
“Before the end
of the year, some hospitals are going to be decredentialed by us,
decredentialed means that they are going to lose their credentials. Any
hospital that is decredentialed, I would not be surprised would go and bring
Chiefs to come and beg because 80 per cent of all hospitals in Ghana, survive
with NHIA so when we withdraw the license they cannot operate.
“The IGF of 80
per cent of all hospitals in Ghana, as for government hospitals it is 90 per
cent, they survive only because Health Insurance continues to pay them every
month,” Dr Okoe-Boye said on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, June
20.
Dr. Okoe-Boye
also expressed his frustration with the constant negative portrayal of the NHIA
and its services.
He believes that
such criticism only serves to tarnish the reputation of an institution that has
made significant strides in improving healthcare access for all citizens.
The former
Deputy Health Minister acknowledged that there is always room for improvement
within any organization, including the NHIA, however, he believes that
continuous bashing and negative portrayals hinder progress and do not
contribute to the betterment of the healthcare system.
He called for a
change in the narrative and encouraged stakeholders to engage in constructive
dialogue with the NHIA to address any concerns and improve the delivery of
healthcare services.
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