By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
Ilorin – The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has warned stakeholders comprising beneficiaries, Health Maintenance Organisations (HMO) and Health Care Facilities (HCFs) against fraudulent practices in the programme.
The Coordinator of the scheme in Kwara, Hajia Hajara Abdullahi, gave the warning on Monday at a stakeholders’ forum organised by the organisation in Ilorin.
She noted that some stakeholders were operating outside the guidelines provided by the scheme.
According to Abdullahi, while some beneficiaries deliberately engage in sharp practices, some facilities don’t provide adequate services.
She said that there had been several complaints from “enrollees’’ against their HCFs.
“NHIS has observed with dismay that in spite of the distribution of operational guidelines to all accredited HCFs by the scheme, the office keeps receiving multitude of complaints from our esteemed `enrollees’ against their chosen HCFs.’’
She listed the complaints to as out-of-pocket expenses, poor quality services and lack of attention.
Abdullahi, however, warned that any stakeholder that wanted to remain in the system must follow the operational guideline.
She explained that the forum was a periodical event aimed at re-updating the target audience on operation of the scheme as it affected their rights, limitations and responsibilities.
Earlier, Dr Abdulhamid Habib, the Zonal Coordinator of the scheme, enjoined stakeholders to maintain good standard.
He said that any facilities that performed below expectation would be de-registered from the scheme.
In her remarks, Dr Bunmi Jetawo, Director-General, Kwara State Hospitals Management Bureau, called for prompt payment to health facilities by HMOs.
She explained that this would ensure quality services to their “enrollees’’, adding that efficiency of facilities would be guaranteed when there was no delay in payments. (NAN)
