Effective February, Saturday 16, Public Health Facilities treating Covid-19 patients will commence using health insurance to invoice for treatment, according to a directive by the Ministry of Health. The directive was announced in a letter by Dr. Tharcisse Mpunga Minister of State in Charge of Primary Healthcare in a letter to public hospitals across the country. With the increase in cases, the Ministry of Health has decided to integrate Covid-19 management in the existing health management for treatment and will use health insurance schemes. This will see health facilities commence billing and processing invoices and requesting compensation by health insurance. This will include home-based care as well as treatment in health centres, district and referral hospitals. Previously, the cost of treatment of Covid-19 cases in public facilities was handled by the government and free for patients. Explaining the development, Dr. Corneille Ntihabose, the Head of Department of Clinical and Public Health Services in the Ministry of Health told The New Times that the development will not apply to Covid-19 testing but treatment of cases. The treatment with cost implications includes; ambulance transportation, oxygen, medicine, therapy as well as consultation. Testing in public facilities remains free. Dr. Ntihabose explained that development could improve holistic care, comprehensive care as patients may need different medicines and preventive therapy such as anticoagulants to prevent them from having any complications. He however clarified that no one will miss out on treatment for lack of insurance as there are avenues for patients without insurance to get treatment through the partnership with the Ministry or Local Government and Districts. All forms of insurance, private, community-based health insurance schemes known as mutuelle de santé as well as Rwanda Social Security Board’s RAMA insurance will be accepted at public health facilities in the country. In public health facilities, testing for Covid-19 remains free for non-voluntary tests such as instances of exhibiting symptoms, close contact of a positive case, or a patient requiring a follow-up test. Private facilities are using rapid diagnostic tests which are priced at not more than Rwf10,000. The development could enable the government to free up resources that could come in handy in the acquisition of vaccines and investment in Covid-19 management equipment and technology.
