HMO faults 400% proposed tariff hike in health insurance scheme

The Managing Director, Ultimate Health HMO, Lekan Ewenla, on Monday, described as ill-timed the proposed tariff increase in the private health insurance scheme.

Ewenla stated this during a session with journalists in Abuja.

According to him, the proposal by the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria is not achievable and capable of disrupting the operations of the organised private sector.

He also called on the National Health Insurance Scheme to step in and provide a lasting solution to avoid anything that would disrupt the operation of the health insurance programme in the country.

Ewenla said, “The gains of the national health insurance programme may be eroded by the over 400 per cent proposed tariff increment and threat to shut down service on the private health insurance programme by the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria if not quickly nipped in the bud by the NHIS, the regulator of health insurance in Nigeria.

“The proposal and threat are ill-timed, not achievable and capable of disrupting the operations of the organised private sector. The NHIS should step in and provide a lasting solution to avoid anything that will affect the operation of the health insurance programme in the country.

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“The AGPMPN should understand that health insurance is driven with the fundamental principles of pooling risks, pooling funds to provide defined health care services and majorly driven by the defined volume of participants that are referred to as enrolees.

“It is important to mention at this point that Prof Mohammed Sambo, the Executive Secretary of the NHIS, came into the industry with outstanding knowledge of the scheme, outstanding management skills and crisis management skills.

“But with the present challenges of increment of tariff and threat of suspension of service by Monday, January 31, 2022, by the health care providers for the private health insurance scheme, there is an urgent need for him to step into this and provide a lasting solution to avoid anything that will affect the operation of the health insurance programme in the country.”