THE ROLE OF NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME IN HEALTHCARE FINANCING AT KOMFO ANOKYE TEACHING HOSPITAL, KUMASI

AB STRACT 

To address the problem of financial difficulties facing individual in accessing health care services, the government in 2001, initiated a  National  Health  Insurance  Scheme  (NHIS)  as  a  humane approach  to  financing  health  care  in  Ghana.   To achieve the goal  of  the  National  Insurance  Schemes, the Komfo  Anokye Teaching Hospital started  in  2002  to  implement  the policies of the NHIA. Four different questionnaires were designed for insured, noninsured, Health service providers and  health  insurance  scheme  and  subscriber  exits  interviews,  as  well  as  focus group  discussion  were  the  instrument  used  to  collect  data.   The  data  was  analyzed  using  tables,  percentages,  graphs,  and  statistical  programme  for  the  Social  science  (SPSS)   The convenient sampling and the accidental methods were used which were all non-probabilistic sample strategy.  The objectives of the study were to assess whether or not the introduction of NHIS as a new policy has engendered positive or negative outcomes in delivery of health service, to collect data on the  role of National Health Insurance Scheme on delivery of health  service,  to  determine  the  utilization  rate  of  Health  service  for  both  insured  and  non-insured  on disease  incidence,  to  suggest  recommendations. The findings from  the  study  were  that  people,  especially  vulnerable  and  marginalized  were  getting  access  to  health  care  in  the  Hospital and  utilization of health service has increased over the years. In conclusion health insurance has been beneficial to the people by helping them to meet their health needs. It was recommended that, efficient monitoring systems such as a planned budget and budget allocation to improve health outcome should be put in place to check utilization of health service to prevent abuses.