Parliament has approved a revised formula for the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), marking a major policy shift that includes dialysis treatment and primary health care as standard benefits under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The House also approved a GH¢10 billion allocation for the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), representing a GH¢4 billion increase over last year’s budget. The increment follows the removal of the capping policy that was introduced in 2017 by the previous administration.
Speaking to journalists after the approval, Minister for Health, Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, disclosed that the new package would ensure patients requiring dialysis are now permanently covered under the NHIS, with no age restrictions.
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“You will all recall that in the 2024 formula, we allocated GH¢2 million for dialysis and restricted support to patients below 18 and above 60. That policy ended on 31st December 2024. With this new formula, dialysis is now part of the NHIS benefits package—just like malaria or any other disease,” he announced.
The Health Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Juaboso, explained that the updated formula includes free primary health care for patients who visit Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds and health centres.
“When a Ghanaian is sick and goes to a CHPS compound or a health centre, the policy is that they must be treated free of charge,” he emphasized.
In addition to dialysis and primary health care, the National Health Insurance Fund will now help cover the funding shortfall caused by the withdrawal of financial support by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under the Trump administration.
Mr. Akandoh added that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as the Mahamacares Fund, will complement the NHIS, particularly in the treatment of chronic non-communicable diseases.
“The Mahamacares Fund, which has already been established, will be dedicated towards chronic non-communicable diseases and will augment the NHIS without any form of discrimination,” he said.
The expanded benefits under the NHIS mark a significant milestone in the government’s efforts to make health care more accessible and equitable for all Ghanaians.