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Accra, Ghana – The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta in the 2020 Budget Statement presentation described the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Mobile Renewal as a “phenomenal innovation.”
The Finance Minister without mincing words remarked, “Mr. Speaker, Renewal of NHIS registration via mobile phone has been introduced. It is a phenomenal innovation with thousands of renewals every week. The goro boys have also been eliminated in the process of renewing NHIS registrations. That is real change.”
This is in furtherance to several accolades from civil society organizations including Imani Ghana and the Africa Public Sector Conference and Awards initiators.
Genesis
In line with government’s digitization drive, on December 19, 2018, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia launched the Mobile Renewal Service to make the NHIS more accessible to its members and also improve upon the Scheme’s financial management.
The initiative marked the beginning of the total digitalization of the system of enrolment of new NHIS clients, renewal of membership, submission, processing and payment of claims to support efforts of the government towards universal health coverage of the country.
Relevance
No more long queues at the NHIS District offices thereby creating enough space for staff there to attend to pregnant and indigent members.
The Scheme has become more attractive and so members who left the Scheme are returning thereby increasing the number of persons being covered in line with Universal Health Coverage (UHC) vision of the government.
Combined with the generation of E-Receipts, the much touted innovation tracks payments to streamline the operations of the NHIS and make it more efficient.
The Mobile Membership Renewal Service puts a check on providers by reducing the chances of false claims generation through the option available to members to confirm or deny attendance after every facility visit requiring the use of the NHIS cards.
Simplified Offline Verification allows NHIS provider facilities to verify membership validity with the aid of a mobile phone leading to prompt payment of claims.
Membership growth
The NHIS active membership has risen from 10 million as at the end of 2016 to 11.7 million. They have access to services by 4,600 Health Service Providers credentialed by the NHIA across the country.
Claims Payment
The Authority has so far cleared the 2016, 2017, 2018 arrears of claims and is on course paying 2019 claims.
By SavannahNewsOnline.Com/ Abdu Karim Naatogmah
