NHIA pays GH₵834 million to healthcare providers, targets higher claims funding in 2025

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has paid GH₵834 million to healthcare providers nationwide, covering both outstanding arrears and newly approved claims under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

At a press briefing on Monday, April 14 2025, Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, Chief Executive of the NHIA, said the payment is part of the Authority’s broader strategy to improve the timeliness of reimbursements to health facilities.

“Last week alone, we paid GH₵555 million to clear all vetted claims,” Dr Bampoe said. “There are still some claims amounting to GH₵30 to GH₵40 million that are in the processing stage.”

While acknowledging concerns raised by private healthcare providers over payment delays, Dr Bampoe clarified that these delays stemmed from processing challenges rather than a shortage of funds.

The Acting Chief Executive further explained that the NHIA plans to allocate a larger portion of its budget to claims payments in the coming years.

In 2024, about 40 to 41 percent of NHIA’s total funding was used for claims reimbursement. This year, the target is to increase that share to 65 percent, with a further rise to 70 percent by 2026.

“Paying claims is our primary function, and we are determined to improve the efficiency of the system to ensure more funds go towards it,” he said. “We are working on reducing waste and inefficiencies to reach this target.”

The payment improvements are partly attributed to recent policy changes, including the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL), which has made additional funds available for the Scheme.

Dr Bampoe also discussed ongoing reforms within the NHIA, including audits of human resources and management information systems.

These efforts aim to modernise the Authority’s operations, improve staff efficiency, and enhance the Authority’s technological capabilities.

The NHIA’s reforms are designed to ensure the Authority meets its responsibilities to both healthcare providers and NHIS members, as the Scheme continues to cover over 95 percent of common diseases and offers services at public and private health facilities across the country.