NHIA, stakeholders agree on new tariffs for medicines, services

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and its stakeholders have agreed on a new medicine and services pricing structure. In a statement yesterday, NHIA said they made the agreement during a stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja. It said the stakeholders settled for a 60 per cent increase in the capitation and 40 per cent upward review […]

NHIA, stakeholders agree on new tariffs for medicines, services

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and its stakeholders have agreed on a new medicine and services pricing structure.

In a statement yesterday, NHIA said they made the agreement during a stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja.

It said the stakeholders settled for a 60 per cent increase in the capitation and 40 per cent upward review in Fee-For-Service (FFS), noting that the new tariffs, which applied to current services offered under the authority, took immediate effect.

NHIA further disclosed that it was also agreed that the new price regime was without prejudice to the outcome of the ongoing actuarial studies commissioned by it.

The report of the actuarial studies is expected in September.

The meeting, which included representatives of associations of private medical practitioners, Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs), Guild of Medical Directors (GMD) and key players in the health insurance ecosystem, endorsed a six-point communique with a range of resolutions.

In his keynote address, the Director General (DG) of NHIA, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, said that access to affordable and quality healthcare by the enrollee remained a top priority of the authority, urging stakeholders to put the interest of Nigerians on top of all other considerations.

On the imperative of the stakeholders’ cooperation, Dr Ohiri noted that all hands must be on deck to achieve the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), assuring that the authority would maintain a close and cordial relationship with all relevant stakeholders.

Dr Ohiri further said, “NHIA does not take its stakeholders for granted. We always appreciate their collaboration within the context of achieving the goal of UHC. “