GMA demands payment of debts NHIA owes health facilities

Health News of Monday, July 29, 2019

Source: Graphic.com.gh

2019-07-29

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on the government and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to urgently pay all amounts owed to public and private health facilities for the services rendered in September 2018 to May 2019.

Failure to comply with this obligation would require facilities to make cash payments as a means of payment to ensure the continuity of services and to prevent their collapse.

Speaking at a press conference held in Cape Coast yesterday after the two-day meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC), GMA President Dr. Frank Ankobea said that "we are not going to be able to do this." despite a series of reminders and follow-ups, the situation remained unchanged. , leaving the badociation with no other choice than the decision to return to cash and carry.

NHIA responds

Dr Lydia Dsane-Selby, Director General of the National News Agency, said the authority had been consistent in paying for services provided by health facilities.

However, she explained that competing national interests and low tax revenues, which financed 70% of the scheme, explained the months of arrears during which the authority worked 24 hours a day to settle.

She said she had held a series of meetings with the Minister of Finance and other officials to release funds for the withdrawal of arrears.

"Premiums are very low, about 30%. Therefore, if taxes are not collected and released on time, it becomes difficult to hand over the facilities, "she said, and expressed empathy for the service providers involved.

She explained that for larger facilities, part of their arrears had been paid until September, while those in the lower group were late by four months.

Dr. Dsane-Selby stated that since it took service providers two to three months to submit their applications, those of May of this year could not be paid now.

She also explained that an actuarial model developed by the authority and taking into account the expected inflows and costs, as well as other additions to the scheme, showed that the scheme was sustainable in the future, the only challenge being collection in due time because of this and its release.

The CEO therefore called on all Ghanaians to help make this scheme what everyone wanted, claiming that layers of the public continued to demand the inclusion of one element or another in the diet. insurance, while premiums remained low and heavily financed by tax money.

"Everyone is calling for the inclusion of this or that in the program, but as we grow and our gross domestic product (GDP) goes up, we have to decide, as a people, what we want and what we can pay for, "said Dsane-Selby.

She called on all actors to shoulder the wheel to fill the gaps in the tax system, especially the National Health Insurance Tax (NHIL), so that the NHIA gets what it was due in time to settle these obligations, which was his mandate.

Updates on trading

Regarding the conditions of service of doctors and dentists, Dr. Ankobea stated that the Government had not yet concluded any agreement with GMA after the expiry of the document for practitioners working for the Ministry of Health and Health. its agencies.

He added that the GMA had informed the employer of the need to start negotiations last year before the document expires in order to ensure that a new CdS would be ready before the expiration of the old.

He stated that, despite several reminders and appeals to the employer by the GMA on the subject and the need to supplement it, the only real activity to date was the basic rules of the negotiations and the receipt of the proposals of the GMA thereafter. June 4 of this year and a rushed meeting on July 24, to which the government asked for additional time to prepare for negotiations.

"The NEC would like to note that the GMA is not satisfied with the way the employer manages the negotiations.

The GMA reluctantly accedes to the government's request for this extension, "he said.

Dr. Ankobea warned that if the government did not respect the rules of engagement, including deadlines, the GMA reserved the right to take the necessary steps to have the fence cleared.