CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, has stated that hospitals refusing to accept NHIA cards would soon lose their accreditation.
In his view, it is important for hospitals to provide healthcare to all persons including people with NHIA cards.
According to Dr Okoe-Boye, the refusal of hospitals to accept NHIA cards contradicts the principles upon which the authority was established and undermines the goal of achieving universal healthcare coverage and leaves vulnerable individuals without proper medical assistance.
“Before the end of the year, some hospitals are going to be decredentialed by us, decredentialed means that they are going to lose their credentials. Any hospital that is decredentialed, I would not be surprised would go and bring Chiefs to come and beg because 80 per cent of all hospitals in Ghana, survive with NHIA so when we withdraw the license they cannot operate.
“The IGF of 80 per cent of all hospitals in Ghana, as for government hospitals it is 90 per cent, they survive only because Health Insurance continues to pay them every month,” Dr Okoe-Boye said when speaking to the media on Tuesday, June 20.
Dr. Okoe-Boye also expressed his frustration with the constant negative portrayal of the NHIA and its services.
He believes that such criticism only serves to tarnish the reputation of an institution that has made significant strides in improving healthcare access for all citizens.
The former Deputy Health Minister acknowledged that there is always room for improvement within any organization, including the NHIA, however, he believes that continuous bashing and negative portrayals hinder progress and do not contribute to the betterment of the healthcare system.
He called for a change in the narrative and encouraged stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue with the NHIA to address any concerns and improve the delivery of healthcare services.