New Health Insurance ID Cards Introduced

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr Ras Boateng, has disclosed that the Authority will, from May this year, issue new identification cards to registered members of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

According to him the new 5 year span, single uniform, secured National Health Insurance Cards, which will deal with the portability issue, would give registered members the ability to access healthcare everywhere in the country.

Speaking at the 'Meet-The-Press-Series' yesterday in Accra, Mr. Boateng observed that the new cards, which explore the credit card technology, will help eliminate the annual reprinting and re-insurance of NHIS ID Cards.

He mentioned that the Tano-South District in the Brong Ahafo Region has been selected for the pilot programme for the issuance of the cards, adding that about 736 hospitals and clinics nationwide have been equipped with computers and integrated into their central database for the successful implementation of the scheme.

The Chief Executive Officer said the Authority has also accredited about 1135 private healthcare providers to ensure the smooth implementation of the scheme, adding that, the Authority has also developed operational, financial and corporate governance manuals as part of efforts to address the current challenges facing the implementation process.

He pointed out that the authority has, in addition, reviewed its tariff structure and medicines list, introduced the Ghana -DRGs as an alternative provider re-imbursement mechanism and a logo for identification of accredited providers.

Mr. Boateng said the NHIS Policy Frame Work implementation would in the long term enable every resident of the country to belong to the scheme.  He said the short term objectives of the policy which stipulates an attainment of 30-40 per cent registration have been largely met.

'So far the Scheme has registered a total of 8,291,66 active members representing 42 per cent within two years of implementation.' he added.

In a statement the out-going Minister for Information and National Orientation, Hon Oboshie Sai Cofie, called on all residents of the country to register with the Scheme to access better healthcare delivery service.