Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang Manu has confirmed the failure of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), a social intervention programme introduced by government to provide financial access to quality health care for residents.

Speaking to the media, the minister noted that the NHIS is no longer able to subsidize the cost of medical care of some illnesses as expected due to extortion by some healthcare providers.

“From the end-user point of view, it looks like the health insurance is not working. I am a patient and I know what it is,” Mr Agyemang Many said on Tuesday.

“The complaints that are coming about how those who are subscribed to health insurance are treated in almost all our facilities. So why should we shouldn’t use the harsh word… extorting from the poor patients," he added.

According to the minister, he has been a victim of health institutions charging unapproved prices and now resorts to paying cash to get quality treatment,

“I pay when I go to Ridge Hospital. I pay when I go to UGMC. I don’t even present my insurance card….," he recounted.

Government is able to subside medical bills of citizens through the enforcement of the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL), which is 2.5% levy on goods and services collected under the Value Added Tax (VAT).

Also, government generates funds from "2.5 percentage points of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions per month; return on National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) investments and premium paid by informal sector subscribers."

Source: The Independent Ghana