Mutuelle subscribers with online issues urged to update their biodata

Beneficiaries of the community-based health insurance, Mutuelle de Santé, who failed to get registered under the online system should take their concerns to their local authorities, said Dr Alivera Mukabaramba, Minister of State in charge of Social Affairs and Social Protection. She claims that some people fail to get subscribed not due to internet connectivity but because their identification and the ubudehe categories data provided do not match those already in the system. Mukabaramba was speaking during a press conference ahead of the Mutuelle de Santé awareness week, slated from September 13-30. The call followed complaints of people from different parts of the country who claimed that the online system failed to register them and they were left with no mutuelle subscription. “During this week-long campaign, we want to raise people’s awareness on all the processes of online system,” she said. Mukabaramba added that: “By doing so, citizens will be enabled to avoid health hazards which may arise from delay in payment yet things were simplified thanks to the online payment”. Though some people might have well founded claims, there are others who just don’t want to belong to a certain category because they want some benefits they don’t deserve, Mukabaramba cautioned local authorities to due diligence before changing any ubudehe categories rather than basing on people’s feelings. On the other hand, the RSSB head of CBHI Department, Alexis Rulisa, said that they were satisfied how the online system was leading to quick service delivery which is indicated by how the subscription over the last three months was increasing compared to when people were using the physical payment system. “From July up to now the subscription has reached 69 per cent and when we compare to the old system, around this period we could be between 50-55 per cent due to many delays. Every day, we see many people getting into the system which give us hope that with the current trend, this year’s subscription will go up compared to the past,” he said. Rulisa explained that the old system not only affected services during the subscription system but also ended up affecting the RSSB payments to health facilities due to delays of transferring money from Saccos to RSSB. “The current agreement with Saccos, MobiCash and Irembo enable us to get paid before and these agencies get reimbursed from collecting money from subscribers. This has positively affect service delivery at all levels and we can assure the citizens that health care services will improve as well,” he added. According to RSSB, the online system ended a situation whereby subscribers paid their premiums from their local Umurenge Saccos and then took their bank slips to RSSB agents at health centres who issued the clients with Mutuelle cards, a process that could take up to three months. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

News

Mutuelle subscribers with online issues urged to update their biodata