The Western North Regional Director of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Frank Duku, has revealed that illegal charges by some health facilities remain the biggest challenge affecting the implementation of the health insurance scheme in the region.
According to Mr. Duku, some health facilities in the Western North Region continue to charge unapproved fees from patients who are active members of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), even though the treatment provided is already covered under the scheme.
He explained that in some cases, insured patients who visit health facilities for medical care are asked to pay money before receiving treatment. Meanwhile, those same facilities later submit claims to the NHIS for reimbursement for the same services.
Mr. Duku noted that the practice is negatively affecting public confidence in the scheme.
He said when members are forced to pay for services that should be covered, they begin to lose trust in the system, which can discourage them from renewing their membership when their cards expire.
The Regional Director therefore encouraged NHIS members to report any form of illegal charges to the nearest NHIA office in their respective districts whenever they encounter such situations.
He assured the public that officials will investigate such complaints, and if the charges are confirmed to be illegal, the facility involved will be compelled to refund the money to the affected client.
Mr. Duku also urged residents to renew their NHIS membership when it expires and encouraged those who have not yet registered to do so in order to benefit from the services provided by the scheme.
He emphasized that the NHIA remains committed to ensuring accessible and affordable healthcare for people in the Western North Region.
