NHIA Boss Warns Health Facilities Over Illegal Charges, Says Practice Is Destroying NHIS Trust

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has served notice of a firm crackdown on health facilities that continue to charge patients illegally, despite those patients presenting valid National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards. The Authority says the practice is quietly destroying public confidence in the scheme and standing in the way of Universal Health Coverage.

NHIA Chief Executive Officer Dr Victor Asare Bampoe made the declaration at the opening of the 2026 Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) Annual Conference in Koforidua, where he told stakeholders that unauthorised charges are not limited to any single category of provider but are widespread across the health sector. "Illegal charges remain a major concern. Wherever that happens, it does great damage. It tells the subscriber that the NHIS card cannot be trusted," he warned.

Dr Bampoe stressed that when patients are compelled to make payments they are not obligated to make, trust in the scheme erodes — discouraging enrolment and renewal and ultimately threatening the government's ambition to deliver equitable healthcare to all Ghanaians. He noted that the problem is particularly damaging at a time when the government is rolling out its Free Primary Health Care programme, in which the NHIS is expected to serve as the central financing vehicle.

The NHIA boss called on CHAG — one of Ghana's largest networks of healthcare providers serving millions of people, especially in underserved communities — to be a key partner in stamping out the practice. "This is not about pointing fingers at one category of provider. It is about protecting the integrity of the National Health Insurance Scheme and preserving the trust of the Ghanaian people," he said.

Dr Bampoe urged facility managers to ensure their staff have a thorough understanding of the NHIS benefit package and adhere strictly to the scheme's reimbursement guidelines. He also called for stronger enforcement, improved complaints reporting mechanisms and greater accountability across all accredited facilities.

NHIS subscribers who encounter illegal charges have been encouraged to report them through the Authority's official complaints channels, with Dr Bampoe assuring the public that every complaint received would be thoroughly investigated. Health sector observers have long flagged unauthorised charges — covering consultations, medicines and laboratory tests — as a persistent source of frustration among cardholders and a key driver of declining confidence in the scheme.