The National Health Insurance Authority's (NHIA), Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, has emphasized the construction of more new regional and district offices to expand coverage of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He said making the NHIS accessible to all residents in Ghana and those on visits will shore up the Scheme’s active membership drive.

The NHIA CEO on August 1, 2023 inaugurated the NHIS Asawase district office in the Ashanti Region as part of his second leg tour of the region.

He said the NHIA was determined to eliminating any form of financial barriers negatively impacting the healthcare needs of the Scheme’s members.

"It has been 20 years since the inception of the NHIS. I commend successive governments especially the government of the day led by His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for contributing to the NHIS sustainability and its achievements so far."

"The benefit package has successfully been expanded over the years. The most recent additions are the Free Elderly Healthcare policy for people 70 years and above and the four childhood cancers."

He reechoed the prompt payments of Claims to credentialed healthcare service providers as a means of completely eliminating out-of-pocket payments (copayments) for services covered by the NHIS.

"Presently, we make monthly payments to service providers whose Claims have been vetted and approved. On July 31st, we paid our hardworking credentialed healthcare providers over Ghs186 million cedis reducing the previous piled up debt just to one month."

"As a result of the rapid Claims payments, we launched a platform known as the 'Sunshine policy' to deepen accountability, transparency, and social auditing. Since its launch, suppliers of drugs to healthcare facilities and other stakeholders are able to log onto the NHIS website with privileged access to view payments made to deserving facilities."

He commended the Member of Parliament for Asawase constituency, Hon. Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka for lobbying and supporting the construction of the NHIS District office.

"All residents of Asawase should sign up for the NHIS in line with the Scheme’s motto which is your access to health. Go for periodic medical checkup to avoid complicated disease conditions that will affect your long life."

According to Dr. Okoe Boye, people with mental health challenges will soon benefit from the NHIS.

The NHIA ultimate goal is to fully drive the national agenda of attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by the year 2030.

The Authority has taken initiatives and accomplished same in the light of contributing to the overall growth and development of the Ghanaian economy.