Assessing the Sustainability of the Operations of the National Health Insurance Scheme: A Case of Oguaa Mansin Health Insurance Scheme, Cape Coast, Ghana

This study was conducted to assess the sustainability and challenges of the Oguaa Mansin Health Insurance Scheme (OMHIS) of the National Health Insurance Scheme of Ghana. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed for this study. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 350 subscribers and 10 managers. Majority of managers did indicate that the premium charged on the national health Insurance scheme is cheap but were however of the opinion that registration charges, were expensive. Our multiple regression model explained that a unit increase in premium reduces the over reliance of the expenditure on Government subsidy by 0.14 (14%), suggesting either an increase in the amount of premium or a step-up in the collection of premium from subscribers. It is interesting to know that the scheme’s major sources of finance are through government support, employee contributions and, registration and premium payment. Challenges mentioned were maturation time, frustration, card collection, and drugs covered by the scheme. Managers mentioned too many exempts from the scheme and inability to identify the true poor in the informal sector as key challenges. Subscribers recommended that the scheme should be free from politics, diseases covered must be widened, and maturation time must be reduced.  How long will Government continue to sponsor the scheme? Alternative but sustainable measures must be found.