The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe, says strict measures have been rolled out to clamp down on healthcare facilities that charge illegal fees from National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) subscribers.

Speaking to Adom News during a working visit to the Ahafo Region, Dr. Bampoe said a taskforce has been instituted to identify and report facilities engaged in co-payment or demanding unlawful fees from scheme subscribers.

“Any facility found guilty of this illegal practice will be compelled to refund the monies to subscribers and subsequently face prosecution,” he cautioned.

Dr. Bampoe stressed that under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, healthcare facilities now receive realistic tariffs and prompt claims payments, making it unnecessary for them to exploit subscribers.

“This habit of charging illegal fees must end if we want to make the scheme more attractive to Ghanaians,” he added.

Meanwhile, the NHIA Director for the Ahafo Region, Mawuli George, projected that the region is on track to achieve universal health coverage by the end of the year, with about 80 percent of its population expected to be subscribers.

He assured that his office is working tirelessly to make NHIS more attractive and effective by addressing challenges that discourage people from joining the scheme.