The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has issued a strong warning to Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) under the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), over delays in remitting payments to healthcare providers. The administration says defaulters will face strict sanctions to ensure accountability and uninterrupted service delivery.
The FHIS is a social health insurance programme designed to provide affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare to all residents of the FCT. The scheme offers free enrolment to FCTA staff, Area Council employees, and vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, while private citizens can join by paying an annual premium of N22,500.
To enhance service delivery, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike approved the payment of over N4 billion in outstanding capitation and service fees covering 2022 to 2024. This move was aimed at clearing backlogs and ensuring healthcare providers receive their due payments promptly.
In a statement released on Tuesday by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications to the FCT Minister, the administration stressed that it will no longer tolerate excuses from HMOs regarding delays in payment. Some healthcare providers have reported non-payment issues, with HMOs citing missing bank details as justification—an excuse the government finds unacceptable.
The FCTA assured that it will intensify monitoring of HMOs to ensure compliance with payment schedules while also holding healthcare providers accountable for delivering quality services to FHIS enrollees. Sanctions will be applied to any organisation found undermining the scheme’s objectives.
Key achievements under the FHIS in the past year include the full settlement of outstanding payments dating back to 2022, increased capitation rates for healthcare providers, and expanded free enrolment for pregnant women, children under five, and indigent residents. The administration has also conducted accreditation visits to 100 Primary Health Care (PHC) centres to widen access to community-level health services.
Furthermore, all pregnant women enrolled under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) through PHC centres across the six Area Councils will continue to enjoy free maternal health services. These include antenatal care, medications, laboratory tests, and delivery. Secondary care referrals, such as caesarean sections and emergency treatments, are also covered at no cost across the FCT’s 14 general hospitals.
The FCTA reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the health insurance scheme, ensuring transparency, and prioritizing the welfare of residents through consistent healthcare funding and monitoring.
