NHIS claims by healthcare providers to be verified using Ghana Card
Verification of claims under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) by healthcare providers across the country is set to commence soon.
Some 4,000 hospitals across the country have been selected for the offtake of this new initiative.
Making the disclosure to norvanreports, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the MarginsID Group, Moses Baiden, noted the verification of claims by healthcare providers under the NHIS will save the Government billions of cedis.
“Claims made under the NHIS will soon be verified and this will save the Government billions,” he quipped, adding, “By October, the DVLA will no longer request for your name and other details to get you a license, they will only ask for your Ghana Card.”
This, he further noted, forms part of the Government’s plan to integrate the Ghana Card into the database of all government agencies.
MarginsID Group owns Intelligent Management Systems II, the technical partner of the NIA in the design, manufacturing, financing, and issuance of the Ghana Card.
In 2022, a total of GHS 1.014bn in claims was paid to healthcare providers by the Government.
From May 24 to July 7, 2023, the National Health Insurance Scheme paid its healthcare providers over GHS 471 million to cover claims submitted for periods up to January 2023.
NHIA pays on average between GHS 150 – GHS 200 million per month as claims reimbursements.
NHIA’s active membership as of the end of 2022 stood at 17.2 million representing approximately 55 percent of the population which is the highest since the inception of the Scheme.
In 2022, data of some 5 million Ghanaians were linked to the Ghana Card to enable them to access healthcare using the card, an initiative that took effect in May 2021.
NIA to distribute 484,000 free Ghana Cards to first-time applicants
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has announced its intent to distribute some 484,000 Ghana Cards to first-time applicants aged 15 and above, marking a significant stride in bolstering the nation’s digital identity ecosystem.
Commencing on August 28, 2023, this laudable initiative aims to facilitate inclusion and streamline governmental processes through the integration of a comprehensive identification system.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of the NIA, Professor Kenneth Attafuah, the issuance process will be done in two distinct phases, each tailored to maximize efficiency and outreach.
The preliminary phase, spanning from August 28 to September 8, 2023, will cater exclusively to public sector workers on the government payroll who are yet to acquire their Ghana Cards.
The second phase, slated to commence on September 11, 2023, extends its ambit to encompass all eligible individuals aged 15 and above, unifying a broad demographic under the aegis of this transformative initiative.
Ghana Card Issuance
Some 17.4m Ghanaians have been registered for the Ghana Card since the inception of the registration process with some 15.7m citizens registered in the first year.
As of August 18, 2023, some 17.3m Ghana Cards had been printed by Intelligent Management Systems II.
In total, some 19.8m Ghana Cards are to be produced and issued to Ghanaians above 15 years.
Some 6.5m Ghanaians between the ages of 6 and 14 will be issued a smart, biometric Ghana Card.
Over the 15-year public-private partnership between IMS II and the Government, some $1.5bn in cost savings is expected to accrue to the Government.
Project Costs
An initial cost of $169.7m and $124m were invested into the Ghana Card project by IMS and Government respectively in the first year.
In the subsequent years, both IMS and Government are required to invest $64m annually for the next 14 years.
Expected total annual revenue from the project is estimated at $80m for both parties with the revenue expected to offset costs incurred during the undertaking of the Ghana Card project.
