Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has announced a major upward review of tariffs paid to healthcare service providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), describing the planned adjustment as crucial to stabilizing Ghana’s health financing system.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, the Minister said current tariff structures have long been considered inadequate by healthcare providers, who argue that rates do not reflect the true cost of delivering medical services.
The government will increase tariffs under NHIS by about 120 percent next year to strengthen healthcare delivery, Mr Akandoh told stakeholders. He described the upcoming adjustment as a game changer for healthcare quality and access.
The tariff increase, expected to take effect in January 2026, forms part of wider reforms aimed at improving NHIS sustainability, enhancing service quality, and ensuring both public and private health facilities are adequately resourced to meet patient needs.
Mr Akandoh said the adjustment will offer significant financial relief to providers, many of whom have raised concerns about operational pressures stemming from inflation, currency depreciation, and rising costs of medical supplies. With improved reimbursement rates, facilities will be better positioned to invest in essential equipment, retain skilled staff, and expand services.
The move directly responds to years of persistent complaints from hospitals and clinics that existing NHIS tariffs were economically unsustainable. Healthcare providers have frequently warned about the financial strain caused by unrealistic fee structures, which sometimes forced facilities to refuse NHIS patients or demand illegal co-payments to cover operational costs.
The Minister highlighted that the review aims to strengthen healthcare delivery, restore confidence among providers, and ultimately improve services for NHIS subscribers. He noted the government inherited an NHIS that was capped and crippled by late payments, co-payments, and providers threatening to abandon the scheme. But a full policy shift has restored confidence.
Active NHIS membership has increased sharply within the past year, with coverage growing from about 18 million to more than 20 million people, representing close to 60 percent of the population. This expansion reinforces the need for a financially robust insurance scheme capable of meeting growing demand for healthcare.
Beyond tariff adjustments, the Minister announced that beginning next year, government will roll out free primary healthcare, backed by GH¢1.5 billion. This will include preventive, promotive, and early detection services, all under NHIS. The shift is expected to reduce the number of severe cases reaching hospitals, especially those related to non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and some cancers.
As part of strengthening primary health care, government plans to retool health facilities, especially Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, many of which currently lack basic equipment. More than half of primary level facilities need essential tools to function effectively, and the 2026 budget will fund major upgrades.
Further interventions include establishing three catheterization centres at major teaching hospitals, procuring DNA testing machines for Noguchi Memorial Institute, and allowing private sector participation in supplying medical equipment. Akandoh said this year alone, 13,500 nurses have been placed on payroll and 700 doctors are being posted nationwide, especially to underserved districts.
He disclosed that GH¢500 million has already been paid as nursing training allowances, with an additional GH¢231 million to be paid in the first week of December. These payments address long-standing concerns about delayed allowances that had affected nursing education and trainee welfare.
The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) has been uncapped to ensure stable financing for critical health programmes, including vaccines, essential medical commodities, HIV services, and the Free Primary Health Care initiative. The uncapping policy and regular flow of funds have restored confidence in the scheme, ending the era when service providers threatened to withdraw services due to unpaid claims.
The government has also activated the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares, with GH¢2.3 billion to support patients battling non-communicable diseases such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes, kidney failure, and heart disease. The fund addresses the rising burden of lifestyle diseases and provides financial support for quality healthcare to individuals who previously faced catastrophic health expenditures.
Specific details regarding tariff increments for various procedures and disease categories covered under NHIS are expected to be released before the end of the fiscal year. Health sector stakeholders have welcomed the reform, describing it as long overdue and essential for the survival of Ghana’s healthcare infrastructure.
A World Bank consultant on the tariff review process said the new tariff regime was comprehensive and consistent with global best practices, adding that improved cost recovery would enhance facility performance. Healthcare providers expressed optimism that the revision would boost confidence, reduce informal payments, and ultimately improve patient welfare.
Mr Akandoh reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening NHIS as a pillar of universal health coverage, ensuring that Ghanaians have access to affordable and quality healthcare without financial hardship. He said the reforms and investments demonstrate that the health sector is at the centre of government priorities.
