The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says it will be pushing through financing for a number of health-related projects in all 216 districts in the country being championed by members of Parliament.
A report on the Health Insurance Fund Allocation Formula 2016 indicates that the NHIA has earmarked an amount of GH¢55,000.00 for each district health project.
The initiative is expected to cost the Authority in excess of GH¢11.8million. An additional GH¢2.07million has also been allocated for funding special projects.
Despite these expenditures, the Authority’s leadership told Parliament before it went on recess that its allocation for 2015 was GH¢17.2million.
“These activities are expected to contribute toward the improvement of health services in their respective constituencies,” the report indicated.
In another development, the Authority plans to roll out the per capita payment system across six regions: namely the Greater Accra, Eastern, Western, Central, Northern and Brong Ahafo Regions.
An amount of GH¢2.0million has been allocated to meet the cost of education and preparatory measures, the report disclosed.
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is set to generate several millions of cedis from financial institutions for the use of its software platform to authenticate holders of its identification cards.
Already, seven banks and two non-bank financial institutions have signed up to use the NHIA’s authentication software — ID Card Authentication Software Income (Navis Application) — which the Authority says will generate about GH¢2million to its Treasury this year.
The Authority, which operates the biggest health insurance scheme in the country, is thus expecting that the decision by more institutions to sign up to its platform will increase its revenue base substantially…and be a major boost to its internally generated funds.
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) was established under the National Health Insurance Act 2003, Act 650, as a body corporate with perpetual succession, an Official Seal, and that may sue and be sued in its own name.
As a body corporate, the Authority in the performance of its functions may acquire and hold movable and immovable property, and may enter into a contract or any other transaction.
A new law, Act 852, has replaced ACT 650 in October 2012 to consolidate the NHIS, remove administrative bottlenecks, introduce transparency, reduce opportunities for corruption and abuse of the system, and make for more effective governance of the schemes.
Source: B&FT Online