Joy News has sighted a petition presented by the Mission Hospitals Association to the National Health Insurance Authority and the Parliamentary Health Committee requesting an immediate increase in tariff. The Association, alternatively suggested an introduction of what it calls co-payment, where card holders of the scheme pay for health service in addition to the insurance. The mission hospitals warned they may be compelled to practice cash and carry if the demand was not immediately approved. They have started turning away NHIS card holders following failure by the NHIA to pay arrears owed them. Officials at the NHIA would however not confirm the petition to Joy News. But a member of the Health Committee in Parliament Dr. Kwabena Twum Nuamah confirmed the details of the petition to Joy News Parliamentary correspondent Elton Brobbey. “Now we are having a situation whereby the NHIA is totally disabled to perform its functions of paying claims to health facilities which are accredited by the Authority and we are really worried,” he said. Dr Twum added it was due to the failure to pay the arrears that led to the Mission hospitals to request for an upward adjustments in tariffs or a co-payment policy. He said if nothing is done as soon as possible there will be a return to the dreaded cash and carry system. Meanwhile the NHIA says it has paid all arrears owed to all hospitals under the NHIS. Communications Consultant to the NHIA Ametor Quarmyne told Joy News arrears have been to November 2013, saying it will hit the accounts of the various health providers latest by Friday. He was hopeful the delay in the payment of claims will not recur, saying there has to be constant release of funding from the consolidated fund in order to implement the policy smoothly.