New Telegraph

Health insurance: We need N3 trn to cover Nigerians –NHIS

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) management has said with N3 trillion, about 200 million Nigerians would be able to have access to health insurance. The Executive Secretary of NHIS, Prof. Mohammed Sambo, who made this known during a meeting with the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Buki Ponle, in Abuja, said one third of the nation’s budget should be set aside annually for Nigerians’ health insurance cover. According to him, with sufficient funds in the health insurance pool, the scheme would be able to expand its benefit package to include medical conditions such as cancer which was currently excluded.

While noting that the establishment of a Catastrophic Fund was being planned to specifically address terminal ailments, he said there were ongoing processes to expand insurance coverage to all segments of society including members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

He noted that the processes for the NYSC members have been finalized and coverage would commence with the release of funds by the government for that purpose, adding that plans to extend health insurance cover to the elderly and retirees have reached advanced stage. Sambo, who further acknowledged the challenges of drug dispensing within the health insurance system, expressed the optimism that NHIS’ collaboration with drug manufacturers, effect direct supplies to hospitals, will ensure affordability and availability.

While emphasizing the importance of an efficient system where stakeholders observed laid down rules, the healthcare financing expert disclosed that the debt reconciliation exercise directed by the Scheme between HMOs and HCPs yielded the paying back of N2billion to hospitals. He added that complaints from facilities about payments have dropped significantly, stressing that the reforms initiated under his watch had brought stability to the Scheme and was rapidly steering it towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

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