Kwesi Odoi Agyarko, National President of SPMDP
THE DECISION by the Society of Private Medical and Dental Practitioners (SPMDP) to reject National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card holders has taken dire consequences on patients.
Two days after the directive of the society came into effect, patients are already feeling the pinch of having to look elsewhere for medical attention as they were told their NHIS cards are not acceptable for medicare.
Majority of the private hospitals visited confirmed the directive of the SPMDP, with the hospitals asking patients to pay out of pocket for their medical services.
An official of the Family Health Hospital at Teshie (name withheld) told DAILY GUIDE the health facility has not accepted any NHIS card as since the directive was issued.
A mother who had brought her son for review at the hospital was left stranded as she did not expect to be asked to pay out of pocket for her son’s medical service.
She was torn between using all her money to pay the fee for the doctor to see her son or go home and come back when she has enough money on her.
“I brought only GH¢50 to the hospital and they are asking me to pay GH¢50 because they are not collecting HNIS if I pay I will not be able to get money for transport back home,” she lamented.
Directive
The private health practitioners last week directed its members to discontinue seeing clients with NHIS effective Monday, May 4, 2015.
The decision was taken as a result of government’s failure to pay the SPMDP their service provision allowances owed them.
SPMDP had earlier threatened to suspend their services to NHIS card holders if the National Health Insurance Authority does not refund monies due its members within six weeks.
The ultimatum was not met by state authorities; hence the withdrawal of services to NHIS card holders at private healthcare centres across the country.
DAILY GUIDE learnt that most of the health facilities have boldly displayed on their premises that NHIS card had been suspended until further notice. Government is struggling to raise money to pay the several months arrears owed service providers.
Government’s Response
The Ministry of Health in response to the ongoing issue with the payment of NHIS service providers had stated that government had directed the release of GH¢180 million for the payment of arrears owed health insurance providers.
The money, according to a statement signed by the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, is expected to clear part of the more than GH¢460 million owed National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) service providers across the country.
It expressed appreciation for the goodwill, patience and kind cooperation of service providers in difficult times.
“We wish to reassure healthcare providers and all other stakeholders that the government stands by its commitment to make the necessary resource allocations to the National Health Insurance Authority to meet its financial obligations, particularly to service providers and ensure the long-term sustainability of the scheme,” it said.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
Via: -Daily Guide
No comments:
Post a Comment