Health News of Wednesday, 23 May 2012

Source: GNA

Authorities asked to facilitate payment of health insurance claims

Mr. Frank Donkor, Health Insurance Scheme Claim Officer of the Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital in Sunyani, has called on authorities of the scheme to ensure that payment of health care services claims was done within four weeks as demanded by law.

He said “Government should find more sources of funding, to ensure the sustainability of the scheme.”

Mr Donkor was addressing the first quarter performance review meeting of the Sunyani Municipal Health Insurance Scheme at Abesim, near Sunyani.

He said the scheme had created employment and cited that, some health professionals were employed in the private health sector as a result of increase in attendance of patients following the introduction of the scheme.

Mr. Donkor noted, the scheme had brought about rapid reduction in delayed cases, which used to result in complication of diseases that led to deaths.

He suggested the adoption of electronic submission and vetting of claims in order to fast track the processing of claims and payment, and the use of standard prescription forms to help reduce problems that pharmacy shops encountered.

Mr. Donkor said the implementation of the capitation system should be reconsidered, since it could make people to lose faith in the system and result in ‘cash and carry system’.**