The Chief of Staff, Mr Julius Debrah, has disclosed that the government’s decision to uncap the National Health Insurance Levy has resulted in an additional GH¢3.4 billion being injected into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Fund this year.

According to him, the move had already translated into the disbursement of GH¢2.8 billion in claims to healthcare providers — a record release that was restoring provider confidence, encouraging compliance, and boosting enrolment across the country.

Mr Julius Debrah (fourth from right) with other dignitaries at the programme Photo: Seth Osabukle

He noted that the move was already yielding significant benefits, improving claim payments, and restoring confidence among healthcare providers across the country.

Mr Debrah, who was addressing the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA)’s Stakeholder Conference in Accra yesterday, said the timely flow of funds demonstrated the government’s determination to reposition the health sector and accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.

He commended the NHIA management for instituting a prompt claims payment regime and reforming the claims processing system through digitalisation to reduce fraud, improve transparency, and enhance efficiency.

He described the conference theme, “Consolidating Strategic Partnerships for a Resilient and Inclusive Health Insurance Scheme,” as both timely and essential, noting that strong partnerships remained the cornerstone of building a robust, inclusive and accountable health system.

Mr Debrah added that the government’s policy of uncapping the fund, alongside new initiatives such as the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Care) and the Free Primary Healthcare programme, marked a bold step toward equitable healthcare financing and access.

The Minister of Health, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, in his remarks, attributed the current stability of the NHIS to the government’s focus on domestic resource mobilisation, which had insulated the scheme from the shocks of declining donor support.

He said the era of delayed claim payments was over, adding that realistic tariffs for health services were being finalised for approval.

Mr Akandoh also disclosed that the Free Primary Healthcare policy had been developed and was undergoing stakeholder consultations, while the Mahama Care Trust Fund had been fully operationalised to finance treatment for vulnerable patients with chronic and non-communicable diseases.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of NHIA, Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, said the financial reform had increased NHIS revenue to GH¢9.76 billion in 2025, up from GH¢6.52 billion in 2024, with a corresponding rise in the proportion of revenue allocated to claims payments from 56.2 per cent last year to 65 per cent this year.

The proportion is projected to reach 75 per cent by 2026. “These resources are game-changing, supporting the expansion of coverage, enhancement of benefits, and faster reimbursement to providers,” he stated.

Currently, Dr Bampoe highlighted that the NHIS covers about 95 per cent of primary disease conditions, with active membership reaching 15.65 million, an increase of over 670,000 from last year.

The Authority, he said, aims to enrol 20 million members by the end of 2025.

Dr Bampoe reaffirmed the NHIA’s resolve to eliminate illegal out-of-pocket payments, commonly known as co-payments, which undermine public trust in the scheme.