The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned that it will take action against Health Maintenance Organizations’ (HMOs) under the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) if they fail to pay healthcare providers on time.
This warning was shared in a statement released on Tuesday by Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media.
He said the FCTA will punish any HMO that delays payments to hospitals or clinics that care for patients under the health insurance scheme.
Mr. Olayinka explained that the FHIS is a government-run health insurance programme that helps people in the FCT get affordable, quality healthcare. It is meant to protect families from high medical costs.
He said that registration for the scheme is free for staff of the FCTA, Area Councils, and vulnerable groups such as pregnant women. However, other residents must pay a yearly fee of ₦22,500 to join.
According to the statement, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike had approved ₦4 billion to cover unpaid capitation and service fees from 2022 to 2024. Despite this payment, the government said it still received complaints that some HMOs were not paying hospitals as they should.
The statement explained that some HMOs claimed they didn’t have the hospitals’ bank details, which they used as a reason for the delay. However, the FCTA said that excuse is not acceptable.
“To ensure better healthcare for people under the FHIS, ₦4 billion was approved and paid between last year and this year to cover overdue payments,” the statement said. “But some hospitals still complain that HMOs are not paying them, blaming missing bank details — an excuse the government will not accept.”
Because of this, the FCTA said it will closely monitor both HMOs and healthcare providers. HMOs must pay on time, and hospitals must do their jobs well. Anyone who fails to follow the rules will face punishment.
The statement also shared progress made in the past year, such as clearing all unpaid dues to HMOs and hospitals, faster payments, increased capitation rates, and more access to care through the accreditation of 100 primary health centres across the FCT.
It also mentioned that pregnant women enrolled through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund at health centres in the six Area Councils will keep receiving free healthcare services. These include health education, doctor visits, medications, lab tests, and childbirth.
In addition, pregnant women who need more serious care, such as surgery (like a caesarean section), blood transfusions, or treatment for complications like eclampsia, can get these services for free at any of the 14 General Hospitals in the FCT through the same fund.
