The National Health Insurance Authority is proposing an increment in the Health Insurance levy to sustain the scheme. Acting Board Chair of the Authority, Steven Ahiawordor said financial sustainability has been the scheme’s major challenge in the past ten years.
Beneficiaries currently pay GHC2.5 but this is likely to increase to GHC3.5
Mr. Ahiawordor who spoke to Citi news on the sidelines of an NHIS 10th anniversary dialogue in Accra said cabinet is currently considering several proposals the Authority has made for alternate sources of funding.
“We have proposed increasing the VAT levy from two and half to three and half percent. We have talked about introducing new elements such as communication tax and taxing the petrochemical industry”.
According to him, over 70% of the scheme’s beneficiaries are exempted from payment, stressing, “therefore there is the need for that payment to come from somewhere.” Mr Ahiawordor added, “if you pay a little more extra, we believe that will help us tackle the problem of funding”.
Meanwhile, one time presidential aspirant of the People’s National Convention PNC, Dr. Edward Mahama disagrees with the introduction of new taxes to sustain the scheme. He said the idea though laudable, will overburden Ghanaians.
“I think if they were to pay the money directly to the NHIS, the financial predicament in which they are, they may not be in it. So instead of the increase in levy, I say they should start by paying the money directly to the NHIA”.
Dr Mahama insisted that increasing the levy by even one per cent “will be just too much.”
Source: Citifmonline
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