By Daniel Ayantoye
National Health Insurance Scheme has warned its service facilities against charging its beneficiaries illegal fees.
The Kwara State Coordinator of the Scheme, Hajara Abdullahi who gave the warning while speaking in an interview with Pilot Health, noted that the operational guideline of the scheme has provided for payment of 10 per cent of total cost of drugs when a patient visit any facility.
According to her, the only situation where an individual or beneficiary is to pay more is when there is need for higher technological treatment such as MRI and CT Scan.
“Under the NHIS operational guideline, no individual or beneficiary pays for any extra cost except if such health care facility is not covered under NHIS,” she explained.
Abdullahi stressed further that the various programmes under the NHIS is categorised into Formal Sector, Informal Sector Social Health insurance programme as well as Vital health Insurance Programme designed to cater for the health conditions of Nigerians.
She explained further that while employers pay 10 per cent under the formal sector which includes the federal, state, local governments and organised private sector, the employees are expected to pay five per cent in the co-payment system.
She also said that the informal sector social health insurance scheme allows for the participation of people under the informal sector of employment such as artisans to participate in the programme, adding that a group of 2,000 people can come under one umbrella to register for the scheme.
He encouraged members of the public to take advantage of the scheme for affordable health care
