MPs to conduct public hearings on national health insurance scheme bill

Kampala, Uganda  | THE INDEPENDENT |  The parliamentary health committee plans to hold public hearings to collect views on the National Health Insurance Bill, 2019. 

Dr Michael Bukenya, the committee chairperson says that they plan to conduct hearings in the North, West, Eastern and Central Uganda before compiling a report on the Bill.  He however says that they are select the venues.   

The National Health Insurance Scheme Bill 2019 seeks among others to create a Universal Health Care scheme to improve health outcomes and expand access to essential health care services for all people in need.      

The scheme is expected to pool resources from the rich and healthy people in formal and informal sector to subsidize medical treatment for the poor, street children, persons with disabilities and the elderly.   

It proposes that formally employed workers, including civil servants, will contribute 4 percent of their monthly salary to the scheme and an additional 4 percent from the employer. The informal sector workers and employers will contribute a total of 5 percent to the scheme.    

Also, the scheme shall be led by a board of directors and will be charged with collecting and receiving funds and hold, invest, administer and disburse funds received, determine the payment mechanism to be used to pay health care providers among other functions. 

All government hospitals and health centres and accredited private health facilities will be contracted as health care providers across Uganda.  

In August, the bill was referred to the health committee for further scrutiny and in September, members of the public interested in submitting views on the Bill were asked to register with the Clerk to Parliament. 20 stakeholders including individuals and groups expressed interest. 

Since October, the committee has been meeting stakeholders.   

Bukenya says that committee has so far received submissions from 15 stakeholders including the ministry of health, Insurance Regulatory Authority-IRA, National Social Security Fund-NSSF.    

Bukenya, however, says that most of the stakeholders who have presented their views on the Bill are based in Kampala. Meanwhile, some are lobbyists, elitist and therefore may not have presented the views of people in the countryside, who will also be affected by proposals in the Bill.    

Bukenya adds that the committee will require a budget ranging between shillings 50 million to 100 million to conduct the hearings. Committees are allocated shillings 100 million annually to conduct domestic field trips. This covers allowances, hiring venues and buying refreshments for witnesses among other logistics.   

The committee expects to present its report on the Bill by end of June this year.

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