President John Dramani Mahama has directed the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to monitor health facilities and sanction any that charge National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cardholders extra fees for services the scheme already covers.
The President gave the directive on Friday, November 6, 2026, at the Ghana Medical Association’s 68th Annual General Meeting at Central University, Miotso, near Prampram.
He said he had received complaints that some facilities still demand money from patients before providing services, even after they present their NHIS cards. According to the President, NHIA teams are now moving from facility to facility to enforce compliance.
The warning comes as government says it has improved payments to providers, including a 50 per cent increase in NHIS service tariffs since August 2026 and monthly payment of vetted claims.
Mahama warns hospitals over extra NHIS charges
President Mahama said any facility found charging patients additional fees outside the approved insurance arrangements “will be dealt with.”
He urged health providers to work with the NHIA to curb fraud and waste in the scheme, and said government will support both the Authority and providers to protect the scheme’s resources.
NHIS tariffs up 50% and claims now paid monthly
The President linked the crackdown to recent changes in how the scheme is financed. He said the National Health Insurance Fund is now uncapped, which allows the NHIA to pay submitted and vetted claims every month.
He said the improved predictability of payments should help facilities plan their finances, buy medical supplies and keep services running without collecting unauthorised charges from patients. GhanaTrends earlier reported that the NHIA paid GH¢382.85 million in claims to health facilities, bringing its 2026 payments at the time to GH¢2.115 billion.
Health funding figures in the 2026 Budget
The President outlined the following health financing figures:
- Ministry of Health and its agencies: about GH¢22.8 billion in the 2026 Budget
- Transfers to the National Health Insurance Fund: GH¢11.3 billion
- Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares): GH¢2.26 billion
- NHIS service tariffs: increased by 50% since August 2026
- Claims payments: vetted claims now paid monthly after the fund was uncapped
Free Primary Healthcare, uncapped NHIS and MahamaCares
Mahama described three programmes that government says form a continuous chain of care, from early screening to specialised treatment.
Free Primary Healthcare, launched in April 2026, provides screening, early detection and treatment of selected conditions closer to communities. The uncapped NHIS supports treatment at the district level and above.
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund, known as MahamaCares, supports patients with selected serious conditions who need specialised care beyond regular NHIS coverage.
Doctors call for action on no-bed syndrome
At the same meeting, the President said emergency units at four major hospitals will be expanded and 100 new ambulances procured to help address the “no-bed syndrome.”
The Medical Superintendents Group also called for expanded emergency and critical care facilities and stronger referral systems. The group said the problem “cannot be addressed by individual hospitals, nor by doctors alone.”
Its demands included sustainable financing, more resources for the National Ambulance Service, better pre-hospital care, real-time bed availability systems and a fairer distribution of emergency personnel.
What it means for NHIS cardholders
Patients with valid NHIS cards should not be asked to pay for services covered by the scheme. The President’s directive means facilities that demand such payments now risk sanctions from the NHIA.
Cardholders who are asked to pay for covered services can raise the matter with the NHIA. Details on covered services and the Authority’s contacts are available on the official NHIS website.
What happens next
NHIA monitoring teams are expected to continue visits to facilities across the country. The President did not announce specific penalties, and no facility has been publicly named so far.
Attention will also turn to how quickly the promised emergency unit expansions and 100 ambulances are delivered.
Quick Summary: what car brand is durable and doesn’t develop faults?
- Directive: NHIA to monitor and sanction facilities charging NHIS patients extra fees
- Announced by: President John Dramani Mahama
- Where: Ghana Medical Association 68th AGM, Central University, Miotso, near Prampram
- When: Friday, November 6, 2026
- Tariffs: up 50% since August 2026
- NHIS fund: uncapped, with vetted claims paid monthly
- Other pledges: four emergency units expanded, 100 new ambulances
FAQs on Story: what car brand is durable and doesn’t develop faults?
Can a hospital in Ghana charge me if I have an NHIS card?
Not for services covered by the NHIS. President Mahama has warned that facilities charging extra fees outside approved insurance arrangements will be sanctioned.
How much have NHIS tariffs increased in 2026?
NHIS service tariffs paid to providers have increased by 50 per cent since August 2026, according to the President.
What is MahamaCares?
MahamaCares is the Ghana Medical Trust Fund. It supports patients with selected serious conditions who need specialised care beyond regular NHIS coverage, and it has a GH¢2.26 billion allocation.
The President’s directive puts health facilities on notice that charging NHIS cardholders for covered services will no longer be tolerated, as government points to higher tariffs, an uncapped fund and monthly claims payments as reasons providers no longer need to collect extra money from patients.
