Ministry sensitises health workers about new medical insurance policy

The Ministry of Health, yesterday, met Nyabihu district health workers to sensitize them on the new medical insurance fee and policy which comes into force in July. 46 health workers from the district and sectors were educated about the new plan and they are expected to sensitise ordinary citizens about the policy. “The new medical insurance policy starts this July and is in three categories: the extremely poor people who will be paid for Rwf2000 by the government per year, the middle income earners who will pay for themselves Rwf3000 and the well to do people who will pay Rwf7000 annually,” said Hertilan Inyarubuga, the coordinator from the ministry. Unlike in the past, where every individual irrespective of economic status paid the same amount (Rwf1000) annually, the new strategy provides that the well to do people pay a higher amount so that it acts as cover for the less wealth individuals in society. Inyarubuga also noted that the new policy will allow citizens to acquire treatment from any health facility in the country regardless of where their insurance certificate was issued. “This policy answers citizen’s concerns that the health insurance should cover even other serious cases such as cancer and other chronicle illnesses, including acquiring treatment from any hospital in the country,” explained Inyarubuga. The ministry of health is conducting nationwide campaign to sensitize people about the importance of the new policy ahead of its launch. The strategy will also see the medical insurance certificate validity run in tandem with the fiscal calendar unlike in the past where its validity was from January to December of the same year. “Families are expected at least to pay 75 percent of the insurance before July while the remaining amount be paid before January next year,” added Inyarubuga. Ends