Service providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) are to enjoy an upward price review of between 24% and 27.5% in tariffs effective March 1, 2016.
Prices of medicines on the NHIS list will go up by 24% while services will increase by 27.7%.
The tariffs increment reflects market realities.
While the tariffs increase brings relief to service providers and subscribers, government will have to cough up additional money to fill the funding gap to be created, as premiums will not be increased.
The Finder gathered that before the increase in the tariffs some service providers asked subscribers to pay the difference in what the NHIS pays for medicines and the market value of the price.
Prices of medicines had increased on the market, and the idea was to harmonise all the prices and fix a legitimate price under the NHIS medicine list.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NHIA, Nathaniel Otoo gave the hint in a media interview in Accra.
Health experts say the increase in the tariffs would come as a relief to many health service providers, hospitals and other healthcare institutions and centres under the scheme after they had raised concerns about the increasing cost of healthcare.
Over the years, the providers have complained that the fee paid them by the NHIA was not consistent with price changes on the market.
The review is done every year to reflect price changes on the market.
The last time tariffs were reviewed was in 2014 and the increase was 27%.
Information picked up by The Finder indicates that the NHIA has cleared the arrears for June 2015 and is preparing to clear the arrears for July next month.
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