Current health bill does not recognize private health insurance, Director FHIS says
By
Halima Abdulkadiri
The Director, Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme, Dr Ahmed Danfulani, says the current health bill does not recognize private health insurance.
Dr Danfulani made this disclosure on Thursday in Abuja at a one-day Stakeholders’ Meeting with Health Care Providers (HCPCs) and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) organized by the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
He addressed the stakeholders on performance in the implementation of the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) and to implement challenges and ways forward.
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Danfulani said that the current bill being used to drive the health insurance schemes in the country does not recognize private health insurance, hence the challenges.
On his part, the Secretary, FCT Health Insurance Scheme, Dr Victor Nnaji, said premium paid by the private companies for health insurance was basically the conversion of medical allowance of individual staff to the premium.
He added: “Healthcare providers agitating for upward review of premium for the private health insurance scheme but asking for downward review of premium for private health insurance is like asking private companies to increase the salaries of their staff because that is the only way the premium can increase.”
He added that one way forward is to allow the Health Maintenance Organizations to participate in various activities like activating ICT and increasing communication between the Health Maintenance Organizations, stressing that NHIS should collaborate with pharmacies to bring down the cost of drugs.
Current health bill does not recognize private health insurance, Director FHIS says