The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has commenced the automatic migration of all contributors to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). 

This initiative ensures that SSNIT contributors, whose 2.5 per cent deductions fund the NHIS, become automatic subscribers without needing to voluntarily enroll.

The acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NHIA, Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye, revealed this development to journalists in Koforidua last weekend. 

He emphasised that integrating SSNIT members, the second-largest contributors to the health insurance fund, is part of four key innovations aimed at enhancing the NHIS and achieving UHC.

“The automatic migration ensures that once their premiums are covered by SSNIT, the authority does not need to wait for them to voluntarily sign on to the mutual health insurance scheme,” Dr. Aboagye explained.

In addition to this automatic enrollment, the NHIA is pursuing several other initiatives to expand and improve the scheme. 

These include extending coverage to visitors, formalising the system, enhancing benefits with the introduction of an annual checkup, and eliminating illegal charges such as co-payments.

The announcement was made during a media and stakeholder engagement session attended by selected key media representatives and notable stakeholders, including members of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana Prisons Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana Medical Association, the Private Health Facilities Association of Ghana, traditional authorities, the Board Chairman of NHIA, Dr. Ernest K. P. Kwarko, and various directors and staff of the NHIA.