New medical tariffs to be approved in two weeks – health minister

A comprehensive revision of medical tariff is set for completion within two weeks so as to help address the financial hardships that are negatively affecting private health facilities, the Minister of Health, Sabin Nsanzimana, said on May 21. He made the reassurance during an ordinary general assembly of the Rwanda Private Medical Facilities Association (RPMFA) held in Kigali, in response to challenges exposed by the association regarding outdated tariffs. Dr. Peace Mukabalisa, the Secretary of Rwanda Private Medical Facilities Association, said that the existing old tariff has been in use since 2017, leading to financial hardships within private medical facilities and limiting new investors – as prices of medical products and equipment went up, but the tariff remains unchanged. The current tariff took effect after a related costing exercise started in 2014. It was supposed to be used for one year, after which it would be adjusted accordingly, in 2018. “So, that one year passed, we are now talking of eight years since then. A lot has changed on the market definitely, there is no room for a discussion about it. We faced challenges to advance in a sector,” she said, pointing out that medical facilities that are still working are challenged. “It’s a very big challenge that we really want our leaders to pay attention to,” she said. ALSO READ: Private health facilities body appeals for review of medical tariffs Speaking at the event, Health Minister Dr Sabin Nsanzimana said that “we have committed ourselves to complete the tariff review within one or two weeks.” The minister explained that consultations were done among concerned entities including those that pay the tariff such as insurance firms, and entities that set and regulate tariffs including the Ministry of Health. The minister acknowledged that the that the tariff not matching the health care services being offered currently was the central issue affecting medical facilities. “It cannot exceed two weeks before we put a stamp on the final [medical] tariff; we all agree on, and start using it,” he said, pointing out that he will address different issues highlighted by medical facilities. Inclusive tariff needed The Executive Secretary of Rwanda Private Medical Facilities Association, Christian Ntakirutimana, said the association contacted various entities including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the Rwanda Development Board, and Parliament, for advocacy so that tariffs for health care services can be revised. He indicated that the Ministry of Health issued revised medical tariffs for 11 health facilities and a few services, which prompted the association to request the ministry for implementation to be put on hold as the tariffs were not inclusive. The RPMFA has a membership of 200 medical facilities countrywide. It requested that a comprehensive medical tariff review be done to factor in all health facilities and services since all of them were affected by the rise in operational costs resulting from an increase in the prices of medical products and equipment. Ntakirutimana said that members of the association were later consulted to provide inputs on medical services and procedures that should be factored in in the tariffs, based on their respective specialties. “We are waiting for the next step of setting the revised tariffs,” he said. In February, Ntakirutimana told The New Times that after the new tariffs were issued for the 11 health facilities, the association met with the Ministry of Health, and the ministry promised that it was going to bring together concerned entities to discuss and address the identified issues urgently – within two months.

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New medical tariffs to be approved in two weeks – health minister