ByLexi Elo
Ultimate Health Management Services, one of the Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) re-accredited by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has announced the a strategic implementation of a five year business consolidation plan with effect from January, 2015.
This new business concept was based on the recapitalization and re-accreditation of the company as a national HMO by the NHIS, which is the regulator.
Mr. Lekan Ewenla, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, said the unique selling proposition of the organization is strategic business development and relationship management while Integrity, Customer Satisfaction, Professionalism and Innovation are the organization’s core values.
He reiterated that Ultimate HMO has created some evidence based health care products for selected sub-sectors like the construction industry, private security companies, private schools and a few others and said that the management is seriously considering strategic alliance or partnership with relevant regulatory bodies in order to achieve universal coverage for the targeted sub-sectors of the economy.
Mr. Ewela however commended the Federal Government for signing the National Health bill into law and suggested that the Federal Government and the National Assembly should take a critical look at making health insurance compulsory for all Nigerians as this is the only way to achieve universal health care coverage for the country.
He commended the leadership of the National Health Insurance Scheme for their tenacity of purpose, passion and genuine concern to change the storyline of our health indices and re-emphasized that the success of the scheme is a common purpose that must be jointly converted to a common action.
He pointed out that Ultimate Health Management Services has enrollees in the thirty six states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory and maintain a very cordial working relationship with service providers and other stakeholders.
A peep into health insurance in Nigeria shows that with approximately 4 percent (6.8 million) Nigerians presently covered by health insurance at both public and private sector, the nation’s health insurance remains hugely untapped as out-of-pocket expenditure accounts for 65.8 percent of healthcare.
While the NHIS Act currently before the National Assembly seeks to make health insurance compulsory for all Nigerians, scaling up universal health coverage will involve innovative insurance plans to cater for the different segments of the population.
Analysts say that innovation will play a pivotal role in the evolution of Health Insurance and drive the attainment of universal health coverage in Nigeria.