NHIS is not collapsing – Ametor-Quarmyne

The Deputy Director of Strategy and Corporate Affairs at the National Health Insurance Authority [NHIA], Eric Ametor-Quarmyne has dismissed claims that the National Health Insurance Scheme [NHIS] is collapsing.

According to him, such claims mainly from the opposition New Patriotic Party [NPP] are unfounded since available records indicate an increase in patronage of the scheme.

He noted that since the current management took over the administration of the scheme, it has flushed out all acts of financial malfeasance which hitherto threatened the sustainability of the scheme.

“I expect that if anybody will say that the scheme is collapsing, they must support what they say with evidence” he said adding that “that is the only thing which will convince Ghanaians that the scheme is collapsing. We have shown the increment in numbers and we have shown the financial propriety, the payment that we have done to hospitals.”

Speaking on Multi TV’s Majority Caucus program, Mr. Ametor-Quarmyne stated that since 2009 when the new management took over the administration of the NHIA, there have been tremendous improvements in the management of the NHIS citing the implementation of policies like revamping the internal audit of the Authority, a move he said has contributed to curbing acts of financial impropriety which bedevilled the NHIA under its recent past management.

According to him, the NHIA has so far settled all arrears due to its service providers dating as far back as April 2010.

“We have been able to clear 115 million [in] arrears which we met and we are able to pay service providers within the stipulated 90 days when they submit their bills” he added.

Responding to recent publications in sections of the media about the suspension of NHIS services at the University of Ghana Hospital, the NHIA’s Deputy Director in charge of Strategy and Corporate Affairs explained that “the issue that you mentioned is about the National Health Authority suspending the Legon Hospital for doing acts detrimental to the welfare of the National Health Insurance subscribers who patronize the hospital”.

According to him, the move to suspend the scheme at Legon was in the interest of subscribers. He further explained that the hospital authorities were engaging in co-payment practices which were contrary to the NHIS laws adding that the hospital was only sanctioned for engaging in such an act and not because of lack of funds or any other thing.

Mr. Ametor-Quarmyne also refuted claims by the former Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Dr. Nsiah Asare that the NHIA is attempting to collapse the scheme in the Ashanti Region by using the region for its NHIS capitation pilot programme.

According to Mr. Ametor-Quarmyne, the move was aimed at improving the management system of the scheme in the regions and not with the intention of collapsing it as Dr. Nsiah Asare had alleged.

Answering questions on the delays in implementing the onetime premium promised by the NDC during its 2008 campaign, Mr. Ametor-Quarmyne said “onetime premium is a government policy and we can only implement it when the government gives us a go ahead to implement it. At the National Health Insurance Authority we have done all that we need to do. We have done all the simulations and the modelling that we need to do and we have given all the information to the Ministry.”

The NHIS currently has 145 District Mutual Health Insurance schemes operating across the country with over 18.031 million subscribers.