Cash and Carry system back in B/A from Monday

Barely last minutes intervention by government, Cash and carry system that became synonymous with health care delivery in Ghana will be resurfaced.

This follows the decision by managers of the private facilities and Christian Association on health service to suspend the insurance scheme due NHIA failure to pay for their claims of NHIS service providers since August 2012.

Some Private health facilities as well as Christian Health Association of Ghana are threatening to turn away patients who fail to make upfront payments from Monday 11th March 2013.

This decision will have very serious in impact especially the residents in Brong Ahafo region where most on health facilities in the region are either belonging to the Missions or privately owned as compared to other regions in Ghana

Classic news has intercepted letters written on 28th Feb. 2013 and 1st March 2013 to CHAG members and NHIA respectively to stop accepting National Health Insurance cards at their facilities following an unpaid claim by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) for the past seven months

According to the content of the documents, the unconcerned attitude by the NHIA is not only imparting negatively on the financial strengths of the hospitals but also threatening the quality health care delivery as well.

Some private Hospital Managers who spoke on Classic news expressed their frustrations on NHIA for owning the millions of Ghana Cedis even though they have submitted their Claims already. "We can’t buy drugs, we can’t pay our workers and utilities for months, we are withdrawing our to NHIS card holders from Monday save our Business" these are some words from hospital managers in Techiman.

Speaking to Classic news' Antwi Boasiako John in a telephone interview, the Corporate Affairs Director of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Eric Ametor-Quarmyne said he heard it on radio since nothing of such letter has come onto his table but gave assurance that the Authority will act on it soon to avert such situations before it is too late.

By Antwi-Boasiako John Classic fm Techiman