Cape Coast Hospital to reject NHIS cardholders over GHC6m debt

The Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) is likely to pause on its services to the National Health Insurance Scheme due to non- payment of Health Insurance claims.

According to a report by the state-owned Daily Graphic, NHIA owes the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital GhC6.175 million for services the facility renders to the patients under the scheme, the amount which has elapsed for eight months starting from May to December 2018.

Due to the nature of the situation, the Chief Executive Officer of the CCTH Dr. Eric Kofi Ngyedu has sent a letter to the Chief Executive of the NHIA to fast track payments to enable the hospital to continue attending to patients with NHIS cards.

The letter dated March 11, 2019, was titled: “Distress call for payment of claims.”

It said: “The Cape Coast Teaching Hospital wishes to make a distress call for the payment of its claims following the financial difficulties it is going through.”

The letter said the call has become necessary because “orders for supply of essential medicines and non drugs consumables are not being delivered on account of our inability to pay average debts due to suppliers.”

“The long delay in repayments of claims seriously affects cash flow and the operations of the hospital. It is the considered position of the hospital that the continuous retention of 10 % of claims submitted when payments were made continue to affect the ability of the hospital to recover the cost of procuring supplies.”

“It has further added to our inability to fully meet our commitment to our suppliers. As of the close of the year 2018, a total amount of Gh 3,189,400.40 had accumulated by the way of the 10% retention since October 2014,” it said.

A study conducted at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital showed that the NHIA owes the hospital Gh 100,000.00 to 150,000.00.

Meanwhile, when the acting Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA Dr. Lydia Dsane –Selby was contacted, she confirmed her outreach had received a letter from the hospital in their indebtedness to them.

Dr. Dsane said the NHIA is in expectant of some money and once they receive it, they will make part payment of the debt hopefully next week.