The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has disbursed a total of GH¢382.85 million in claims to healthcare service providers across the country, reaffirming its commitment to the timely reimbursement of facilities under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The payment, made in September 2026, covered services rendered to NHIS members by credentialed healthcare facilities nationwide. With this latest disbursement, the NHIA’s cumulative claims payment for the year has reached GH¢2.115 billion, underscoring the Authority’s resolve to ensure healthcare providers receive prompt reimbursement and can continue delivering uninterrupted, quality healthcare services to members.
The total amount paid in September, public healthcare facilities received GH¢197.32 million, representing 51.54 percent of the claims paid. Private healthcare facilities received GH¢128.95 million, accounting for 33.68 percent, while mission facilities received GH¢56.58 million, representing 14.78 percent of the month’s claims payment.
This distribution reflects the continued reliance of the NHIS on a mix of public, private and mission healthcare facilities to deliver services to insured members across the country, with public facilities accounting for the largest share of claims paid.
Commitment to Prompt Reimbursement
Commenting on the release, the Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA, Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, reiterated the Authority’s commitment to promptly paying claims to credentialed healthcare providers.
He noted that timely reimbursement remains crucial to maintaining the confidence of both healthcare providers and NHIS members, while supporting seamless service delivery nationwide.
According to Dr Bampoe, the NHIA’s priority is to ensure that every NHIS member can access healthcare services without facing financial barriers at the point of care. He stressed that prompt claims payments should discourage healthcare facilities from charging members for services already covered under the Scheme.
“Prompt claims payment remains central to the Authority’s operational reforms, and the objective is to prevent co-payment at the point of care.”
Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA, Dr Victor Asare Bampoe
Dr Bampoe further explained that, as part of efforts to support healthcare providers and sustain quality service delivery, the NHIA increased service tariffs by 50 percent in August 2026.
He said this adjustment was intended to cushion service providers financially and strengthen the Authority’s broader efforts to eliminate financial obstacles to healthcare access for all NHIS members.
This tariff adjustment appears designed to work in tandem with the Authority’s claims payment reforms, ensuring that the reimbursement rates providers receive remain adequate to sustain quality service delivery, even as claims volumes continue to rise.
Pillar of Operational Reform
The NHIA maintains that timely claims settlement remains a key pillar of its operational reforms and a critical step toward improving healthcare delivery and ensuring universal access to essential health services across the country.
The Authority’s consistent emphasis on prompt payment reflects a broader strategy aimed at strengthening trust between the NHIS, healthcare providers and insured members.
“The objective is to ensure that every NHIS member can access healthcare services without facing financial barriers at the point of care.”
Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA, Dr Victor Asare Bampoe
By prioritising prompt claims settlement, the NHIA’s approach is intended to directly address a recurring challenge within Ghana’s health insurance system: instances where healthcare facilities, facing delayed reimbursements, have resorted to charging NHIS members out-of-pocket for services that should ordinarily be covered under the Scheme.
Dr Bampoe’s remarks suggest that consistent, timely payment is viewed as the most effective mechanism for discouraging this practice and protecting members from unexpected financial burdens at the point of care.
Growing Cumulative Payment Figure
With the year’s cumulative claims payment now standing at GH¢2.115 billion following the September disbursement, the figures reflect the scale of financial commitment required to sustain the NHIS across the country’s network of credentialed healthcare facilities.
The steady growth in cumulative payments throughout the year suggests a consistent pattern of disbursement aimed at maintaining provider confidence in the Scheme’s reliability.
As the NHIA continues its programme of regular claims disbursement, attention will likely remain on whether the combination of prompt payments and the August tariff increase translate into a measurable reduction in co-payment incidents at healthcare facilities nationwide.
The Authority’s continued emphasis on these operational reforms suggests that further disbursements and policy adjustments are likely as it works toward its stated goal of universal, financially unhindered access to essential health services for all NHIS members.
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