Health facilities charging NHIS patients unlawfully will be dealt with – Mahama

President John Mahama has warned that health facilities found charging patients additional fees outside approved National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) arrangements will face sanctions.

He says the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is conducting monitoring exercises across health facilities to identify those demanding extra payments from patients despite their presentation of valid NHIS cards.

Addressing the 68th Annual General Meeting of the Ghana Medical Association at the Central University in Prampram, President Mahama said he has received complaints about the practice and stressed that it would not be tolerated.

“I have received complaints that, despite patients presenting their NHIS cards, some facilities still demand money from them before providing services,” he said.

He added that the NHIA was monitoring facilities and that “any facility found charging patients additional fees outside the approved insurance arrangements will be dealt with.”

President Mahama said the government is strengthening healthcare delivery through a new health architecture integrating Free Primary Healthcare, the uncapped NHIS and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as MahamaCares.

He explained that the three programmes were designed to provide a continuum of care, from early screening and diagnosis to specialised treatment for serious medical conditions.

The Free Primary Healthcare programme, launched in April this year, is intended to bring screening, early detection and treatment of selected conditions closer to communities.

The President said while the NHIS supports treatment at the district level and above, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund provides support for selected serious conditions requiring specialised care beyond the existing NHIS coverage.

“Together, these three programmes are intended to provide a more reliable continuum of care,” he said.

President Mahama emphasised the need for effective referrals and follow-up to ensure patients receive timely treatment as their healthcare needs change.

On healthcare financing, he disclosed that the 2026 Budget allocated approximately GH¢22.8 billion to the Ministry of Health and its agencies, with an additional GH¢11.3 billion earmarked for transfers to the National Health Insurance Fund.Of that amount, GH¢2.26 billion is allocated to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund.

He said uncapping the National Health Insurance Fund was helping to make reinvestment in healthcare more reliable.

According to him, the NHIA now makes monthly payments for submitted and vetted claims by healthcare providers, while service tariffs have been increased by 50 per cent since August this year.

President Mahama said the reforms were intended to provide health facilities with greater financial predictability to procure supplies and sustain services.

He, however, called for vigilance against fraud and waste to protect the resources allocated to the scheme.