The Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, has joined forces with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to intensify efforts to eliminate illegal charges imposed on subscribers of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) by some healthcare providers in the constituency.
The initiative formed the focus of a stakeholder engagement held at Kenyasi in the Ahafo Region, bringing together traditional leaders, district assembly officials, NHIA personnel, assembly members, healthcare providers, security agencies, youth groups, and other key stakeholders.
Speaking to Adom News, Mr Addo expressed concern over the increasing number of complaints from NHIS subscribers who are allegedly being charged unauthorised fees despite holding valid health insurance cards.
He described the practice as worrying and said it informed his decision to support the NHIA financially to organise the engagement.
According to the MP, bringing stakeholders together to address the issue is one of the most effective ways of identifying its root causes and finding practical solutions to ensure subscribers enjoy the full benefits of the NHIS.
He added that addressing illegal charges would also help restore public confidence in the scheme and encourage more people to enrol.
The Asutifi North District Manager of the NHIA, Owusu Berchie, commended the MP for supporting the initiative and demonstrating commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the constituency.
He said the engagement provided an opportunity for stakeholders to share ideas on why some health facilities continue to demand illegal payments from NHIS subscribers and propose measures to eliminate the practice.
Mr. Berchie acknowledged that unauthorised charges remain a major challenge in the district and stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to identify and sanction health facilities engaged in the practice.
He expressed confidence that the collaborative effort would help protect the rights of NHIS subscribers and strengthen the credibility of the national health insurance scheme.
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