The government has allocated Rwf7.5 billion for the next fiscal year to help clear arrears that the community-based health insurance (CBHI) – commonly known as Mutuelles de Santé owes to the Rwanda Social Security (RSSB)’s pension scheme. Richard Tusabe, the Minister of State in charge of National Treasury disclosed this to the Chamber of Deputies’ Committee on National Budget and Patrimony, during the virtual hearings for the 2021-22 budget allocations, on Tuesday May 18. MP Alice Marie Uwera, a committee member asked whether that amount allocated for paying Mutuelles de Santé arrears will settle the entire debt owed to the pension scheme, to which Tusabe answered that the payment will cover half of the debt. RSSB is also the custodian of CBHI. He indicated that CBHI is still facing a financing gap as the contributions that are made to the scheme are still small compared to the cost of healthcare provided to its members. Given the problem, he said, an arrangement was made whereby RSSB schemes, such as pension, could lend to CBHI to mainly settle medical bills to hospitals and other health facilities that offer health services to its subscribers. “In order to protect RSSB from incurring losses and depleting people’s pension savings, we agreed that lending can be done, but we (as the government) pay back the money in question,” he said, indicating that they agreed on a payment plan. “We will continue to support the Mutuelles de Santé to achieve its objectives to help Rwandans access healthcare, but ensure that the cost is not a burden to them, especially during this circumstance [Covid-19],” he said. Meanwhile, he said that the Government was still looking for more resources to bridge the funding gap facing this important healthcare initiative. Established in 2003, CBHI is a solidarity health insurance system in which people (families) come together and pay contributions for the purpose of protection and receiving medical care in case of sickness. It seeks to offer medical cover to people with low incomes and those who are in informal employment. The scheme covers healthcare services for the biggest chunk of the population. As of March 17, 2021, it had a subscription rate of 85.2 per cent, or about 9 million beneficiaries. The beneficiaries of this health initiative are classified into three main categories through which their premiums are determined. The people from the first socio-economic classification category is subsidised by the government with Rwf3, 000 per person [it was Rwf2,000 but was increased in 2019 as part of raising funding to the scheme], while the second and third categories pay Rwf3, 000 per person, and the fourth one pays Rwf7, 000 every year for each household member.
