Corruption: NHIS to re-accredit HMOs in July – Boss

Prof. Usman Yusuf, the Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, says the scheme will commence fresh accreditation of Health Maintenance Organisations in July.
Yusuf said this at the Nigerians Medical Association leadership retreat for Chief Executives of Tertiary Health Institutions on Thursday in Abuja with the theme “Strengthening healthcare delivery in Nigeria through efficient leadership’’.
Yusuf decried the nefarious activities of HMOs who pad enrolees number and fail to pay hospitals under them their accrued bills, which hinder efficient service delivery at the hospitals.
He said the criteria for fresh accreditation of the HMOs would include acquiring certificates of attestation of indebtedness from all hospitals they served, among others.
Yusuf, who said that there were 59 HMOs in the country alleged that some staff of the NHIS has over the years connived with them to compel enrolees to choose certain hospitals against their wish.
He said: “NHIS procurement Act has been spite on, stepped on and nothing is happening. Our ICT department has been corrupted and violated by HMOs long before budget padding.
“If NHIS is well harnessed and funded it has the potential to fund Primary Health Care, National Agency for the Control of Aids, NEMA but the reverse is the case.”
Yusuf said NHIS was set up to provide universal healthcare coverage to Nigerians irrespective of ability to pay, employment status or other life situations.