Health Insurance in Nigeria : You need to Know this Before Action

PHYSINEWS REPORTS: Health Insurance In Nigeria: 

09 Quick Facts You Should Know Before Action

- 1. In Nigeria,the health insurance scheme is handled by the Nigerian National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

- 2. The  two main packages included in the NHIS are the Health Management Organization (HMO) and the Out Of Pocket (OOP).

- 3. The HMO plan covers both the tiers of government and private sectors,the HMOs are in conjunction with the government to provide health care services to NHIS subscribers.

- 4. The NHIS programs include:

(a) The Formal Sector Social Health Insurance Programme,this program is for employees in the public sector and organized private sector i.e a company with 10 staffs and above. This formal sector covers the staff, spouse and four biological children.

(b) The National Mobile Health Insurance Program (NMHIP)

(c) Voluntary Contributors Social Health Program (VCSHIP)

(d)  Tertiary Social Health Insurance Programme: for students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

(e) Community Based Social Insurance: for people in hamlets, markets, Etc.

- 5. Some of the benefits of NHIS include:

(a) Hospital care in a standard ward for a stay limited to cumulative of 21 days per year.

(b) Maternity care for up to four live births for every insured contributor. 

(c) Consultation with medical specialists such as physicians, paediatrics, Etc. 

(d) Preventive care immunization 

(e) Health education, family planning,antenatal and post natal care.

(f) Out-patient care

- 6. In other to enroll for the NHIS,registration of dependants i.e kids and Parents cost around N10,000 per head,this however varies depending on the program,however the government will pay the bulk sum of money for those under the Formal Sector Health Insurance Programme. As for the VCSHIP,registration costs N15,000 and N10,000 per head fee. NMHIP costs N12,000 and N9,000 per head.All fees are expected to be renewed annually.

- 7. Individuals willing to enroll for the Formal Sector Health Insurance Programme should make inquiries from the HMO firm the person is using,in ther to register and be issued the card.

- 8. As for the NMHIP,interested individuals should contact any of the branches of the NHIS for further information and direction,although usually after the registration process,a card will be issued.

- 9. Other Private Health Insurance companies like AGA, HYGEIA are regulated under the NHIS.