The sustainability of the Private Health Insurance industry in Ghana is a conversation that needs to be had.
As the industry grows, it will need all stakeholders to come around the table to help shape it. Key amongst these should be government. Government is doing so much with with the backing of the National Health Insurance Act and this has helped to guide what we do as practitioners.
Despite the efforts by all to ensure we have a sane industry, there are issues that need to be looked at; pricing, sustainability, building synergies between providers and clients. Realistic pricing should be embraced by all from the pharmacies to the hospitals and the providers as well.
Customers depend on us to get them the most progressive range of health insurance and this we should reciprocate by getting all these perfectly in sync so that they reap the full benefits thereof. And, so, while sometimes the ordinary person will not be able to buy a product due to uneven pricing, they should be made to understand why primary healthcare is fundamental.
Amongst the providers, we need to see how we can build an effective system where fees are paid on time while working to ensure we completely eliminate the issue of fake claims. We can deal with fake claims head-on. Technology and digitization have made it possible through QR Codes, USSD and even using verifiable systems such as OTPs. These can lead to immediate verification of claims. It will also ensure a lot of productive human hours.
We need to be there for each other as an industry. While we can stay competitive, we have to avoid practices like undercutting? There should be trust for each order. Currently, everybody is afraid that their business will be taken by a competitor. No matter is, when you’re taking a client from a competititor, it is best to communicate to them. Each organization has its own traits and ideologies but the supreme interest of all must be protected and harnessed.
Our business like any other is customer-driven. We need to build on existing relationships to provide superior services. And when you provide all these, they will definitely stick with you. re comfortable. They don’t need to go anywhere. You need to give them certainty and assurance so that as they walk through the OPD or dash to the nearby pharmacy, they are confident they will be taken care of.
At Equity Health Insurance, we’ve been lucky to enjoy the loyalty of our clients. Corporate Ghana, too, has been a major reason why we are here. We remain focused on corporate clients; they have supported us thoroughly. I believe that we can do more. We can change the narratives and make this brand tone that we can be proud of. We’ve done a couple of things which was not in the system; we are excited at the opportunities we have created in the ecosystem, and we continue to introduce innovative products.
We want to be seen as customer-centric. We want to be seen as empathizing with the customer at every point in time. So it doesn’t matter what the issues are and no matter who you are. At Equity, we are always there to serve you and those are the things that we want to be seen doing and known for within a short time.
We have exciting things planned for the year and beyond. We are going to introduce our new retail product, which is the Telemedicine, where customers can directly engage with us anytime, and have access to a large range of services. We are employing the latest technologies in this area and it will be a first.
We are blessed to have a crop of young and smart staff leading us in our mandate and they have ensured that we continue to be ahead of the curve, providing award-winning solutions to persons both individuals and organizations.
Our staff have become the bedrock of the amazing products that were designed to offer comprehensive around hospital consultations, surgeries, dental care, maternity, prescribed drugs and optical care. When we say that our clients enjoy competitive packages that cover 99percent medical conditions including in-patient and out-patient services, we mean that and it is no gimmick. Equity Health Insurance is that provider you need through and through.
Our ever reliable 24-hour operational healthline continues to put clients in touch with trained professional health insurance agents, while we still provide each insured company with an Account Manager who serves as a liaison with Health Service Providers.
Since 2017 when we launched, we have remained resolute in ensuring that we spark innovation and reach for higher heights. Our ultimate goal as an organisation has been to provide world-class and top-of-the-edge customer service to its clientele while ensuring that quality healthcare is accessible and affordable for all Ghanaians. We don’t intend to dilute this at all. We are going to work with the customer to continously review and appraise what we offer so that at all times, the customer wins. When the customer wins, we also win.
Our undying promise at Equity is to continuously improve healthcare access through excellent patient-centric services, in a cost-effective and timely manner. Our entry into the healthcare provider space in Ghana is buoyed by a strategic partnership with all of you present here to deliver a value-added scheme of repute. Long live the private health insurance space in Ghana, long live Equity Health Insurance.
