‘We Never Defaulted Our Contract Obligations’, OHIA Clarifies Onward Hospital’s Withdrawal From Scheme

The Osun Health Insurance Agency (OSHIA) on Monday said the scheme never defaulted in its contractual obligations and responsibilities in providing health care service to people in the payment of capitation and fee for service.

Dr. Rasaq Akindele, Executive Secretary, OSHIA while addressing journalists at a press briefing held at Governor’s Secretariat Abeere in Osogbo, said the briefing was necessitated following a report circulating in the media that one of its service providers, Onward Specialist Hospital withdrew from the service because it no longer funds the service.

Akindele maintained that the hospital withdrew rendering health care services to people as a result of inflation in the country and internal restructuring but not because OSHIA defaulted in monthly capitation payments.

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According to him: “Onward Hospital, Osogbo, had on June 10, 2024, written to Osun Health Insurance Agency(OSHIA) indicating its withdrawal from OHIS citing inflation in the country and internal restructuring as the reasons. The hospital added that it would be willing to continue when the economy is more stable and the hospital fully restructured.

“OSHIA responded on June 19, 2024, accepting the withdrawal of services from Onward Specialist Hospital to take effect from July 1st, 2024, though, it’s a violation of OHIS Operational Guidelines, which expressly states that either party must give three months’ written notice before terminating the agreement.

“Based on this, OSHIA management directed Onward Hospital to attend to all OHIS enrollees until the end of June 2024, in view of the month’s capitation that has been paid in advance”.

Condemning what he described as a malicious report being peddled by the opposition party in the state, Akindele, said not only does the agency pay the highest capitation and tariff in the whole of the South Western states, but it also added new services to its tariffs owing to the support received from the State Government under the leadership of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

He further advised enrollees using Omward Hospital to switch to other hospitals near them noting that “not less than twenty (20) private hospitals that were not with us initially have indicated interest to join OHIS because of the providers friendly, enrollees friendly activities of the scheme”.

” For this reason, we wish to inform the general public, especially OHIS enrollees, that Onward Hospital will no longer be an OHIS service provider effective July 1, 2024. All enrollees are advised to switch to other service providers. For further clarification, enrollees can visit our office, speak with our Business Officers, or call our Customer Service Number at 07000-2255-6447.”