The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has added another unique policy to its long list of initiatives in their attempt to keep stakeholders in the health care industry up to date.
The authority implemented a digital payment system that allows service providers to submit claims online and the Authority to review and pay them electronically within the 90-day period mandated by law.
Over 95% of claims are presently submitted electronically to decrease delays in claims processing and payment and to ensure that Scheme members have easy access to healthcare.
In addition to the digital payment system, the NHIA, led by Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, has established the Sunshine Policy, which updates all stakeholders on the status of claims paid to NHIS-certified healthcare providers.
The Authority has put in place the “Sunshine Policy” to ensure transparency. This open policy enables stakeholders and the general public to examine NHIA claim payouts.
This has traditionally been referred to as the “missing piece” in the jigsaw puzzle by stakeholders.
The Sunshine Policy allows stakeholders to search online to see which facilities have received payments, how much they have received, and for which month(s).
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All stakeholders can then access provider payments using a filter mechanism that categorises providers as public or private.
Speaking to stakeholders at the GMA conference, Dr. Okoe Boye counselled service providers to treat clients and subscribers with diligence and stop patients from making unauthorised payments under the scheme.
Dr. Okoe Boye claims that the Authority pays service providers a monthly average of 100 million cedis. He views this as a promise kept, and in order to keep suppliers confident in the Scheme, he requests that they follow suit.
“The intention behind the policy is to bring transparency on payments by the NHIA and the need to encourage honest discussions on health financing in Ghana,” stated the chief executive officer of the scheme.
Visit the NHIA website (www.nhis.gov.gh) and choose the claims button located in the upper left corner of the page to receive the insurance.
Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, the head of the National Health Insurance Authority, has seen a few specific initiatives as part of his goals to establish an open and transparent authority.