HMOs to FG: Create separate agency to manage health insurance funds

Stakeholders under that the aegis of Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN) have called for the establishment of a separate agency to manage the account in which health insurance funds are being remitted. The call was one out of the six resolutions reached by HMCAN executives who addressed journalists in Lagos today. According […]

Stakeholders under that the aegis of Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN) have called for the establishment of a separate agency to manage the account in which health insurance funds are being remitted.

The call was one out of the six resolutions reached by HMCAN executives who addressed journalists in Lagos today.

According to HMCAN Chairman, Dr Tunde Lasepe, the establishment of the proposed body which is to be known as the National Health Funds Agency will guide against future accusation and counter-accusation of corruption like the one that has been on-going between the Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) organizations and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

“Out of the six recommendations we are passing across to the Federal Government on a long term basis, we are asking that the existing law which is the Act 35 of 1999 be reviewed to change the name of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to National Health Insurance Commission (NHIC) so that the body can act strictly on regulation. We are also proposing that the health insurance scheme be made mandatory for all Nigerians.

“We are also requesting from the Federal Government to create National Health Fund Agency to handle the managing of public sector  health insurance scheme with other schemes for the vulnerable groups in the country,” Lasepe said.

On other aspects of the resolutions, the HMCAN Publicity Secretary, Mr Leland Ewenla said the Federal Government should, as a standard component, “standardize the process of recruitment and appointment of the leadership of the agency in order to test and confirm the intellectual capability and compatibility of whoever is coming to regulate the scheme.”

“On a short basis, we are proposing that as a matter of urgency inaugurate the governing council of the NHIS for proper policy formulation implementation and checks and balance to ensure that the agency work within the dictate of the law. On a medium term basis, as suggested by all stakeholders, especially by the HMCAN in 2005 the implementation of ad robust in software and platform should be done by the NHIS and the HMOs for seamless coordination and monitoring of all necessary disbursement by the HMOs,” Ewenla said.

The HMCAN executives said all the recommendations will be forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Health.