HISPAG backs return to cash & carry

The National Executive of the Health Insurance Providers Association of Ghana (HISPAG) has thrown its full support behind the decision by its regional executives to revert to the cash and carry system of health provision in the country.

This is coming after members of HISPAG in the Upper East region issued threats that they would revert to the cash-and-carry system of payment if outstanding arrears owed them are not settled by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). Executive Secretary of HISPAG, Frank Richard Thorblu told Class News that patients have been paying for their own drugs for some time now.

“The thing has been on not even yesterday, the public is very much aware about this, it is not HISPAG that is mentioning it, it is a known secret that when you go to hospitals of course they will take the health insurance cards and give you some drugs then you will pay for most of the things except that now it is coming to the public. We also send them away where they cannot pay so basically the situation has been there,” Mr Thorblu disclosed.

HISPAG served notice at the beginning of the year that it would withdraw its services across the country if the NHIA failed to settle over 600 million Ghana cedis, being seven months' arrears due it.

The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) began a probe into alleged cases of fraudulent payments by the NHIA, resulting in the freezing of bank accounts of the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sylvester Mensah about a month ago.

But Mr Thorblu held the view that there would be dire consequences in healthcare delivery in an interview he granted in January to the Daily Guide newspaper.

“They are saying that they are not going to pay the providers until they have completed their investigations and we are saying that should the hospitals, clinics and maternity homes across the country also suspend provision of services to the generality of the people until that investigation is complete?” Mr Frank Torblu quizzed.