A Ghanaian can now renew national health insurance in less time than it takes to buy kelewele: dial *929#, follow the prompts, pay by mobile money and the membership is active again. Yet every week patients arrive at Accra hospitals with expired NHIS cards and leave with bills they did not expect.
Here is how the scheme works in practice.
What NHIS covers
The National Health Insurance Scheme, run by the National Health Insurance Authority, pays for a list of services at accredited public, mission and private facilities. That list includes outpatient consultations, many inpatient treatments, maternity care, emergency care and medicines on the NHIS medicines list. It does not cover everything. Some drugs and specialist treatments fall outside it, and patients are often asked to buy items that are out of stock at the hospital pharmacy.
Registering for the first time
New members register at an NHIS district office, with the Ghana Card as the main identification. You provide your details, pay the premium if you are not exempt, and membership becomes active after a waiting period of about a month. The NHIA has waived that waiting period at times, but a waiver should never be assumed.
Children need to be registered too. Parents often forget, and a sick child at Princess Marie Louise Children’s Hospital is not the moment to discover the gap.
Renewing by phone
Membership lasts twelve months. Renewal can be done at any district office, by dialling *929# or through the MyNHIS mobile app. The NHIA also offers an auto-renewal option through the app or the short code, which removes the need for a yearly reminder.
The renewal costs little compared with a single unplanned hospital visit. Put a reminder in your phone a month before the date.
Who pays no premium
Several groups are exempt from the premium. SSNIT contributors are enrolled without one on proof of active SSNIT membership, because 2.5 percent of their pension contribution already goes to the NHIA. SSNIT pensioners also qualify. Pregnant women are exempt on proof of pregnancy, which covers antenatal care, delivery and postnatal care.
Other exempt categories are set out in the law and in NHIA policy, so ask at a district office if you believe you or a relative qualifies. Exempt members may still pay a small processing fee.
Using the card at a facility
Present your card or Ghana Card at the records desk before you are seen. Ask whether the facility is NHIS-accredited if you are not sure. Private clinics in neighbourhoods such as East Legon and Spintex vary, and some accept NHIS for some services only.
If you are asked to pay for a service you believe NHIS covers, ask for a receipt that names the item. The NHIA takes complaints about facilities that charge unauthorised fees to insured patients.
Why people let it lapse
Most Accra residents who drop out of NHIS do so out of habit, not cost. They register once, rarely fall ill, and forget the renewal date. The scheme only works as insurance if you are covered before you need it.
The *929# code takes a minute. Dial it today and check when your membership runs out.
