The Suhum Government Hospital in the Eastern Region says it has ceased charging subscribers of National Health Insurance Scheme the mandatory 3-cedi levy introduced to cushion the health facility from its financial crisis.
Patients with NHIS cards who reported at the hospital’s outpatient department on Monday, May 20 for healthcare services were made to pay 3 cedis each due to the health insurance authority’s indebtedness to the hospital.
The National Health Insurance Authority is said to be owing the hospital some 3 million cedis. The amount spanning 12 months accrued from drugs and medical services offered to NHIS card bearing patients.
Several efforts by the hospital authorities to get reimbursement have proved futile.
Medical Superintendent of the facility, Dr Emmanuel Tetteh Ashong, told 3news.com on Monday that “we are so broke,” hence the introduction of the levy which the hospital described as “maintenance fee”.
A statement issued by the Hospital Tuesday, May 21 copied to 3news.com said they have stopped the collection of the 3-cedi fee.
“This is to inform you that the hospital introduced a maintenance fee of three Ghana Cedis (GHC 3.00) per OPD attendance on Monday 20th May, 2019, but we stopped the same day,” the statement signed by Dr Ashong said.
It explained the decision to stop the collection of the fee was “due to the assurance by the Eastern Regional NHIA Directorate that next week we shall be paid”
By 3news.com|Ghana