NHIA sensitises stakeholders on provisions of new Act
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has embarked on sensitisation of stakeholders on key developments contained in the new Act to ensure effective service delivery. towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The NHIA Coordinator in Yobe, Alhaji Muhammad Mustapha, disclosed this at the sensitisation venue in Damaturu on Thursday.
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He said “we organised this engagement to sensitise stakeholders on recent developments and innovations introduced in the
NHIA Act 2022 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.’’
Signed by the president on May 19, Buhari said the development is part of his administration’s efforts to ensure health coverage
for Nigerians.
The Preseident said that “the NHIA repeals the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Act in existence since 2004.”
He added that “as part of our healthcare reforms, I have signed into law the recently passed National Health Insurance Authority Bill
2022, which repeals the National Health Insurance Scheme Act. We will ensure the full implementation of the new Act
to provide coverage for all Nigerians.”
He also said that the new NHIA will collaborate with state government health insurance schemes to accredit primary and secondary healthcare facilities and ensure the enrollment of Nigerians.
Provisions made in the NHIA are to reduce out-of-pocket spending for health services.
The Yobe NHIA coordinator, therefore, urged stakeholders to pay attention during the sensitisation for maximum benefit and
onward transmission to others.
In his presentation, Malam Mansur Akilu, the NHIA Unit Head of Finance and Administration in Yobe, explained that under the
new Act, every Nigerian and other residents are mandated by law to get health insurance.
He added that the Act created an oversight and regulatory body for Health Insurance Schemes and clearly defined roles.
He said Third Party Administrators (TPAs) are now intermediaries to facilitate claims between the insurer and the insured, unlike in the old Act.
He pointed out that the new Act removed representatives of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) as part of its governing council.
He said the NHIA Act 2022 empowers the authority to serve as regulator, implementer, investor and insurer of health insurance practices and schemes in Nigeria.
According to him, the new NHIA Act stipulates the creation of Vulnerable Group Fund to subsidise health insurance coverage for vulnerable persons.
The unit head urged the stakeholders to disseminate the information received at the sensitisation to the public, who are the target audience.
