The Upper East Regional Chapter of the Private Healthcare Providers Association has dismissed claims that they were paid five months arrears this year.
According to them, President Akufo-Addo's comment that the government has settled five months arrears owed healthcare providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme for the year 2019 is not true.
The President at the recent media engagement said the government has paid NHIS claims up to the month of May 2019.Â
But members of the region said none of their members has been paid the said claims.
The immediate past regional president of  Private Healthcare Providers Association Thomas Moh in an interview with Citi FM said the President was misled.
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"This most of the Private Healthcare Providers have received only one-month payment and they are some who have not received even one month this year, and if anyone doubts I can give you the number of private healthcare providers and find out from them, so it is not true."
Private healthcare providers give Gov't 2-weeks ultimatum to pay NHIA debt
Private healthcare providers in the country in August gave the government a 2-week ultimatum to pay the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) debts owed them.
According to the private companies, known as the Responsive Healthcare Service Providers Association of Ghana and the Private Health Facilities Association of Ghana, the debts owed them accrued over a 10-month period.
The Association said the inability of the government to meet their demands will force them to drag the NHIA to court.
According to executives of both groups, their members have been dragged to court by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Social Security National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) due to their inability to fulfill their obligations to these regulatory agencies while their monies are locked up with the NHIA.
The Executive Director for the Responsive Healthcare Services of Ghana, Joseph Christian Amoah who addressed a news conference in Kumasi said;
“Our members are being taken to court by GRA, SSNIT and other regulatory authorities. We are in procurement business and we deduct from source and for 10 months to a year a provider is not reimbursed and as a result of this ill act, it happens that our members are financially bankrupt. Some are ill, others are dead, others are threatening to shut down. It does not enhance the private government partnership in health. We are giving the government two weeks to advice NHIA to pay us. We will perhaps meet with our counsel and test the law.â€