Delay In Issuance Of NHIS Cards To Become A Thing Of The Past - NHIA Boss

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Mr. Sylvester Mensah, has indicated that the era where Ghanaians register and wait for a long time before getting access to their NHIS Identification (ID) Cards �will become a thing of the past�. He said there will be pilot programmes which will use biometric data that will give beneficiaries of the scheme access to their ID cards instantly without the hustle of waiting for so long. �We are implementing the instant issuance of ID cards based on biometric data. The programme is far advanced. The pilot will begin by end of February. The existing situation where after registration it takes three months and sometimes forever for the ID cards, will become a thing of the past�� he said in an interview on Peace FM�s morning show �Kokrokoo� with host Tweneboa Kodua (TK). Outlining some of the programmes the Authority has for this year; 2013, he said there will be �an upward adjustment� of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) levy. This adjustment he said will help them in the payment of arrears of claims below 60 days. �We are working towards establishing two claims processing centres in the Northern and Central regions and this will bring to an end the entire challenge faced as far as claims are concerned. We are also looking forward to implementing the new prescription form which began last year and are hoping to begin the implementation by March. We have a lot on our plate and are hoping that by the end of this term, the Health Insurance Scheme will be completely different from what we saw at the end of 2012�� he added.