Photo: Fquasie, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Health insurance in Ghana
NHIS and the licensed private schemes
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NHIS and private cover: two layers
| NHIS | Private health insurance scheme | |
|---|---|---|
| Required by law | Yes, for every resident (s. 27(1)) | No, optional (s. 27(2)) |
| Regulator | NHIA | NHIA (licence under s. 63) |
| Hospitals | NHIA-credentialed providers | Only NHIA-credentialed providers (s. 100(1)) |
| What you buy | The benefits package and Medicines List set under the Act | The benefits and limits in your scheme's contract |
A private scheme is a private contract governed by the law of contract (NHIA, private health insurance). Read its benefits, limits and exclusions before you pay; NHIS exclusions are listed on the NHIS page.
The private health insurance schemes licensed by NHIA
Table 4 of the NHIA 2024 Annual Report, status at December 2024, names as printed, in alphabetical order:
- Acacia Health Insurance
- Ace Medical Insurance
- Apex Mutual Health Insurance
- Cosmopolitan Health Insurance
- Dosh Health Insurance
- Equity Health Insurance
- GAB Health Insurance
- Glico Healthcare
- Metropolitan Health Insurance
- NMH Nationwide Medical Insurance
- Phoenix Health Insurance
- Premier Health Insurance
- RX Tech (Health Insure Africa)
- Spectra Health Mutual Insurance (a private mutual scheme)
- Star Health Insurance
- Vitality Health Insurance
NHIA's private health insurance page gives each scheme's address, email and phone, and says the licences listed there are valid from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2026. Ask the scheme for its current licence before you pay, and check the broker too: brokers are licensed by NHIA for health insurance.
What the law requires of a private scheme
- It must be registered and licensed by NHIA; operating without a licence is an offence punishable by a fine of up to 500 penalty units, up to three years in prison, or both (Act 852, section 63).
- It may only use a name such as "health insurance scheme" if it is licensed (section 65).
- It may only deal with NHIA-credentialed healthcare providers (section 100(1), quoted on NHIA's page).
- NHIA provides a bureau to which the public can bring complaints about private schemes (same page).
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Frequently asked questions
Who regulates private health insurance in Ghana?
The National Health Insurance Authority, under section 63 of Act 852. A private scheme must be registered and licensed by NHIA.
How many private health insurance companies are there in Ghana?
16 private health insurance schemes at December 2024, with 464,849 members, plus 22 brokerages and one third-party administrator (NHIA 2024 Annual Report).
Can private health insurance replace NHIS?
No. Every resident must belong to the NHIS; private cover is in addition to it (Act 852, section 27).
Which private health insurance is the best in Ghana?
Tulinde does not rank schemes. Check the licence with NHIA, then compare the written benefits, annual limits, exclusions and hospital lists of at least two schemes.