National Health Insurance Scheme Records  50% Success —Korie

By WILSON ASEKOMHE

The over dependence on government hospitals may soon be a thing of the past if efforts by Health Management Organizations (HMOs) are anything to go by.  HMO is charged with the responsibility of ensuring world-class services under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
According to the General Manager of Managed Healthcare Services (HMS) one of the accredited HMOs empowered by the NHIS, Dr. Patrick Korie, in a short while this culture of excellent service would be replicated across the nation.
The NHIS key objective is to save Nigerians the traumal of excessive medical bills.  He stated that presently, the scheme was making efforts to make the organized private sector subscribe to the scheme.
He added that states too, are being talked into adopting the scheme.
Korie lamented the agony which poor people have faced overtime due to high medical bills wondering how people at the low level would afford such bills.
He stated that it would be strenuous for  a level one officer to afford a bill of N100,000 which he may be charged if his wife delivers through ceasarian operation.
He lauded the fast spread of the scheme which has already covered all the public servants in the federal public services.
Korie added that so far, the scheme has covered about 50percetnt of this category of public servants who are already receiving treatment through the scheme.
He expressed confidence, that the scheme will, with time, cover the entire federation.
Responding to the complaints of some subscribers who complain inadequate funding, Korie stated that the incidence is not as bad as its being expressed.
He added that “some providers receive as much as one million naira monthly for provision of primary care” He added that the incidence rate is less than that”
Korie explained that caesarian operation for instance “are paid for as secondary care because we don't depend on what is paid as capitation to provide for ceasarean section.