Proposals that seek to correct certain anomalies hindering the effective operation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) have been forwarded to Cabinet for consideration.
The proposals seek to ensure efficiency in the utilisation of the schemes funds and eliminate fraud President John Evans Atta Mills made this known at the opening of a three- storey building for the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) at Ridge in Accra.
�Initiatives and proposals to improve the scheme have been forwarded to Cabinet for consideration. These are measures being taken to correct corruption, stealing and anomalies in the scheme. The goal is to ensure that every Ghanaian that falls ill can have access to healthcare,� he said.
He urged management of NHIA to work assiduously to ensure the sustainability and growth of the scheme.
The Minister for Health, Joseph Yileh Chireh, lauded the establishment of a clinical audit department by the NHIA. He said the department will help fight corruption and fraud in the system.
�The NHIA will be opening offices in various parts of the country to ensure that people have the geographical access to join the scheme and access health services in the country.�
Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA, Mr. Sylvester Mensah, said as a measure to check irregularities in premium collection �The Authority has set up a claims- processing centre into which all premiums collected by the scheme are deposited.�
He indicated that by the close of 2011 a new prescription-form with a unique identifier of provider and prescriber will come into use. This forms part of measures to stem abuses in the prescription of medicines.
�The new operating environment could not have come at a better time for all the good reasons. It is a cost-saver. We are in the process of extending this cost-saving strategy to all our regional offices in order to better serve our subscribers across the country at a lower operating cost.�
The NHIS was established to provide financial- risk protection against the cost of quality basic health care for all residents in the country.
<<Print>>