Communications Consultant at the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has revealed he advised the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) not to implement its much touted onetime premium policy.
According to Eric Ametor Quarmyne, implementation of the policy cannot be sustained by the current premium payments by subscribers of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)
The one-time premium policy was promised by the NDC in their 2008 manifesto as part of its policy to expand coverage and cater for the poor but authorities of the scheme blamed its delay on the late approval of the bill by Parliament.
Government has on many occasions indicated its readiness to implement to policy but claimed it is handicapped without the bill.
However, the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) said the social intervention programme introduced by the erstwhile Kufuor administration has been undermined and demoralized in almost four years under the NDC.
They claimed the scheme has suffered a 21 percent decrease due to mismanagement and misappropriation of funds.
The NPP also contended that, the decline in membership is a sign of the lack of confidence in the scheme by Ghanaians.
But Ametor Quarymne on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Tuesday opined that, though the scheme has not collapsed, implementing the onetime premium is not feasible.
He stated that, unlike other jurisdictions where everybody is a contributor to the scheme, only a fraction of Ghana’s population bear the cost while the larger majority gets the benefits.
The Communications Consultant of the NHIA underscored the need for the loopholes and disparity in the system.
Ametor Quarmyne said claim payments is suffering thus implementing the onetime premium will collapse the NHIS.
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