The National Health Insurance Authority is in eight-month outstanding debt to health service providers across the country. 

Ashanti Regional Director of NHIA, Kwadwo Dwomoh, says the lapses are due to taxes and financial gaps experienced in the sector over the years. 

"I am unable to tell you the last month we paid but it has been prompt. We have not been able to close that gap as per law. We are behind on claim payment for about eight months which means about two months gaps," he said. 

Mr. Dwomoh spoke with David Akuetteh on Luv FM at the back of JoyNews' feature on the NHIS and its cost barrier, in which NHIS subscribers complained of poor access to health services under the scheme.

The government is looking to absorb the cost of dialysis and breast cancer under the scheme.

However, with the existing funding challenges, Kwadwo Dwomoh is convinced new income streams could be generated to support the financing of the scheme. 

"We have always had a financing gap. The premium that we are paying and in addition to the taxes are roughly inadequate. By the time that we add all this thing on, there could have been another stream of income for the health insurance to be able to finance this,” he said.

He continued: "this is a commitment Ghanaians have to make because health is wealth. The strength of every nation is dependent on the health of the nation so if we have to find money somewhere to do so, we will do this". 

Meanwhile, the Regional NHIS Director is cautioning against the unapproved charges paid by subscribers for medications to health service providers.

He says charging fees not sanctioned by the NHIA is unacceptable. 

According to him, the system is set up for regular drug price reviews and expects subsequent overall price increases for goods and services. 

"We have a periodic review and when we are reviewing the price, we anticipate a future increment in the general prices of goods and services which is a factor in the percentage of increment," he noted. 

He also mentioned that there are agreements with providers for specific services and medications which providers must oblige until they involve the authority for charge adjustments. 

"Punishing people who try to take advantage of our subscribers is something that we are doing," he added. 

Kwadwo Dwomoh noted that engagement with NHIS subscribers are ongoing to educate them not to fall victim to the situation regarding unapproved drug fees.

He further disclosed that measures have been put in place to retrieve all the unapproved fees charged to patients with receipts of the payment they made for medical treatment. 

"We have been able to retrieve all the unapproved fees that have been charged to our subscribers in Konongo," he said.