The House of Representatives has directed the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to suspend its quarterly release of funds to Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) pending the outcome of its investigation.
The resolution followed a motion on: ‘Urgent Need to Investigate the Compliance Rate of Health Maintenance Organizations, HMO’s to NHIS Contributions and Utilization of Funds by the Healthcare Providers and Inhumane Treatment of Enrollees’ sponsored by the House Committee Chairman on Health, Mr. Chike Okafor.
In his lead debate, Okafor (APC, Imo) explained that the NHIS was set up to provide healthcare for all Nigerians at an affordable cost through various prepayment systems as well as ensure the availability of funds to the health sector for improved service delivery.
He said globally, health is regarded as a social security measure that guarantees the provision of healthcare services to persons on the payment of a token at regular intervals.
The lawmaker said federal government pays 3.5% while its employee pays 1.7% amounting to 5.25% of the monthly salary of a federal government worker.
He also stated that state government, local government and organised private sector employers pay 10% and the employees pay 5% amounting to 15% of their monthly salary.
Okafor hinted that those who enrolled in the scheme were being short changed and used as conduit pipes to funnel revenue to HMO’s and healthcare providers as the subscribers are treated like lepers.
The lawmaker also hinted that the HMOs had received over N351bn from the scheme since inception in 2005, adding that it was regrettable that the services cover less than 4% of Nigerians.
In its resolution, the House mandated its Committee on Healthcare Services to conduct an investigation on the activities of HMOs and the healthcare providers for the past eights years.
The committee has four weeks to report its findings to the House
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