In his State of the Nation Address last Thursday, His Excellency President J.E. Atta Mills exuded optimism and endorsed the continued growth and progress of the NHIS.
Increased utilization of healthcare services on the NHIS and expansion in coverage of the population indicate growth of the scheme but with cost implications. His Excellency�s call for urgent dialogue and consensus on financing of the NHIS to ensure sustainability is timely and should refocus thinking and action in that regard.
The President�s reference to the drive for improvement in the provider payment system of the NHIS, in the context of sustainability of the Scheme, alludes to the good faith behind the payment reforms currently being piloted in the Ashanti Region, where emerging difficulties in the capitation pilot are being addressed in order to improve the NHIS payment system as a whole.
And for greater client satisfaction, Professor Mills mentioned that the new NHIS Call Centre, which is purposed to provide subscribers with a voice and ready attention, will soon be launched. The facility would enable clients� concerns to be addressed more expeditiously.
These and other initiatives are geared towards efficiency in the operations of the scheme, which is emerging as a model for other developing countries.
The rising profile of Ghana�s health insurance scheme is increasingly engaging international interest. Just over a year ago the Scheme won the UN award for excellence and has become a destination for study tours by foreign delegations seeking to learn from Ghana�s experience.
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