Mandatory health insurance for foreigners embroiled in confusion

The operationalization of the government’s policy for a mandatory National Health Insurance policy for short-term foreign visitors has encountered significant contradictions among oversight and implementing agencies.

Dubbed the “National Non-resident Visitors Health Insurance,” the policy was launched by the Ministry of Health in February 2024, with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) designated as the key implementing agency.

This policy targets non-residents visiting Ghana for less than six months within any 12-month period.

According to the former Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the policy aligns with the National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (Act 852), which mandates the provision of quality and accessible healthcare for both residents and non-residents in Ghana.

The aim was to enhance access to necessary healthcare services for foreign visitors through a national health insurance scheme.

Recent reports quoted Dr. Isaac Morrison, Vice-Chairman of the Technical Working Group on the Visitors Health Insurance Scheme and a member of the NHIA Board, stating that the policy would take effect from July 1, 2024.

However, this announcement has been contradicted by subsequent statements indicating that the policy requires further stakeholder engagement, parliamentary and cabinet approval, and at least an opinion from the Attorney General.

Amid the controversy, the current Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, clarified that the NHIA’s announcement regarding the mandatory health insurance policy for non-Ghanaian residents is merely a proposal, not an official government policy.

“The Ministry of Health would like to clarify that the recent announcement regarding a mandatory health insurance policy for non-Ghanaian resident visitors is a proposal from the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and not a policy of government.

While the proposal aims to ensure that foreign nationals have access to healthcare during their stay in Ghana, it is important to note that it has not yet been discussed or approved by Cabinet,” the minister explained.

Deputy Minister of Health, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, further elaborated on the matter during an interview on ZED 101.9 fm, asserting that the policy at the center of the controversies is not new but the same as the one launched by former Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu.

“This is something that has been launched already but the kind of stakeholder engagement that needs to be done for its full implementation has not been completed yet,” Acquah stated.

As the confusion persists, the Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Da-costa Aboagye, has yet to provide a statement clarifying the NHIA’s position or the steps needed to move forward with the policy.

The unfolding events highlight the complexities and challenges in implementing a national health insurance policy for foreign visitors in Ghana.

Stakeholders are urged to engage in comprehensive discussions to resolve the contradictions and ensure a coherent approach to providing accessible healthcare for all.