Kathmandu. The Health Insurance Board(HIB) has urged the Health Institutions not to suspend health services amid the delayed claim settlement.
The HIB issued the request after some major hospitals in the capital Kathmandu as well as some hospitals in the eastern districts announced suspension of services citing non-payment of claims under the Health Insurance Program(HIP) for a long time. The executive director of the board, Dr. Damodar Basaula, has assured that,the budget received by the HIB will not be withheld by the Government even if it is not used till the end of the current fiscal year, .
Hospitals including TU Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Birat Medical College, Nobel Hospital Biratnagar and B&C Hospital Jhapa have already announced that they will not provide health treatment under the HIP unless their outstanding claim is settled by the HIB.
The HIB has paid Rs 8.13 billion by settling the 1.9 million claims till the last fiscal year and 3.375 million claims of the current fiscal year. ED Dr. Basaula has informed that 18.53 million claims are being examined with priority.
The HIB has informed that agreements have been signed with a total of 450 health institutions in 77 districts across the country for health treatment services under the health insurance program. It has assured to settle all the claims received. It has also mentioned that a payment schedule too soon will be made public.
