NHIS tariffs to increase from August as government cracks down on illegal hospital charges

Nii Ayitey Brown 16:36 - 14 July 2026

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Ghana's minister for health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh

The government has announced an increase in NHIS tariffs effective August 2026 to improve healthcare financing and provider reimbursements, while warning health facilities against illegal co-payments to insured patients.

NHIS tariffs will increase from August 2026, with the government saying the adjustment will improve the sustainability of the scheme and ensure healthcare providers receive better reimbursement.
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the government has also ensured the timely release of National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) funds to support prompt payment of NHIS claims.
The Minister warned that healthcare providers charging illegal co-payments to NHIS subscribers risk prosecution, revealing that some suspects have already been arrested and are facing legal action.

The government has announced that National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) tariffs will increase from August 2026 to improve healthcare financing and ensure hospitals and clinics receive better reimbursement for treating NHIS members.

Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh disclosed the planned tariff adjustment while appearing before Parliament's Assurance Committee, saying the increase forms part of efforts to strengthen the long-term sustainability of the NHIS.

"I'm happy to announce that very soon, we are going to increase the tariffs of the National Health Insurance. I think in August it's going to start," Mr. Akandoh said.

Increasing the tariff means healthcare providers will receive higher payments for treating NHIS subscribers.

The Minister said the Mahama administration has also ensured the timely transfer of funds from the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) to enable the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to settle claims more promptly.

Mr. Akandoh also disclosed that authorities have uncovered cases where some healthcare providers are illegally charging NHIS cardholders additional fees for services already covered by the scheme.

"We have also detected some kind of fraud in the system. We have detected this kind of co-payment, as they call it, which is an illegal payment. We are even prosecuting some of them. We have arrested some, they are under prosecution," he said.

Co-payment is where healthcare providers demand extra payments from insured patients for services that should be covered by the scheme.

The practice is prohibited under NHIS regulations because it places an unfair financial burden on subscribers.

The Health Minister warned that the government would continue monitoring health facilities across the country and take legal action against providers found engaging in the practice.

The National Health Insurance Scheme, introduced in 2003, remains one of the country’s social protection programmes, providing millions of Ghanaians with access to healthcare while reducing out-of-pocket medical expenses.

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