10 Advantages Of National Health Insurance Scheme in Nigeria
Recently, Healthcare Insurance in Nigeria has become more pronounced due to the emergence of certain deadly diseases such as Ebola, HIV and AIDS. There is no denial that HealthCare Provision in Nigeria is a write-off due to the negligence of government at all levels to provide the necessary public healthcare services to the her citizens.
Although, there are some health care services that are free and are offered at government hospitals, many don’t subscribe to such health services. If you want to know about the advantages of Health Insurance Scheme In Nigeria, then you are the right article.
This post offer a vivid and detailed analysis on the merits of National Health Insurance Scheme, the meaning, objectives, programmes and other services that you might not be aware of.
What is health insurance?
Health insurance is a cost effective way to pay for healthcare. The payment covers you from paying the full cost of medical services when you are ill or sustain injury. Just like the normal car or home insurance, you select a plan, pay the required monthly fee and the health issuer also agrees to pay a portion of the subscribers medical cost.
What is National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)?
According to the official website of the National Health Insurance Scheme, this health scheme in Nigeria was established under the Act 35 of 1999 by the Federal Government of Nigeria to provide Nigerians easy access to healthcare services at an affordable cost.
What are the Objectives of National Health Insurance Scheme?
The objectives are what the Federal Government in trying to improve the health sector of the country want the National Health Insurance Scheme to achieve and they are:
- To ensure that every Nigerian has access to good health care services.
- To protect families from the financial hardship of huge medical bills.
- To limit the rise in the cost of health care services.
- To ensure equitable distribution of health care costs among different income groups.
- To maintain high standards of health care delivery services within the Scheme.
- To ensure efficiency in health care services.
- To improve and harness private sector participation in the provision of health care services.
- To ensure equitable distribution of health facilities within the Federation.
- To ensure appropriate patronage of all levels of health care.
- To ensure the availability of funds to the health sector for improved services.
What are the programs of the National Health Insurance Scheme?
The programs include:
Formal Sector Social Health Insurance Programme (FSSHIP) which is specifically meant for employees in the public service and private organizations, uniformed men are also included in this category. Formal sector also covers staff, spouse with maximum of four biological children that are below the age of 18.
The Informal sector which consist of the following:
- Tertiary Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) which is meant for for students in tertiary institutions to cater for their health care needs by providing qualitative and affordable healthcare services.
- Community Based Social Health Insurance Programme (CBSHIP) meant for retirees, families in communities, people living in villages, e.t.c
- Public Primary Pupils Social Health Insurance Programme (PPPSHIP)
which is meant for Public primary school, ages 6-12 from the middle to lower class levels of the society who don’t have access to healthcare services.
Vulnerable Group Social Health Insurance Programmes meant for the disabled and those who can no longer work, less previleged.
What are the Advantages of the NHIS programme?
The benefits of the National Health Insurance Programme are much but are not limited to the following:
- Receive best possible healthcare for 21 days within a year in a certified ward.
- Every insured contributor receives maternity care from experts for up to four live births.
- Free Consultation with medical specialists on different health issues
- National Immunization Programme for Beneficiaries.
- Health education, counselling on family planning, antenatal and post natal care.
- Beneficiaries will receive out-patient care.
- Beneficiaries have easy access to health care without payment at point of treatment.
How much does the National Health Insurance Scheme cost?
The Federal Government foots the bill for the formal sector while the cost for other programmes varies. For spouse and children, the cost for enrolling in the NIHS programme is N9,000 per head
To register for VCSHIP, it costs N15,000 and also N10,000 for a person head fee while NMHIP costs N12,000 for registration and N9,000 per person.
All fees would be renewed annually as stipulated.
For more questions concerning the National Health Insurance Scheme, visit NIHS official website FAQ here.
