Getting health insurance in Nigeria is an important step towards securing healthcare services without the burden of high out-of-pocket health expenses. With a variety of options available, including the National Health Insurance Scheme (government Scheme) and private Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs which you can register yourself or with your employer).
Individuals and families can search and find plans that offer comprehensive coverage tailored to their health needs.
Understanding the steps of how to get health insurance in Nigeria is crucial for navigating Nigeria’s healthcare system, protecting your health, and achieving financial protection against unforeseen medical costs.
What is Health Insurance?
This is a type of insurance that covers the medical and surgery cost of the policyholder. The policyholder is the person who gets the coverage.
The insurer is an insurance company that offers this coverage and the provider is used to describe the clinic, hospital, pharmaceutical store, or healthcare practitioner that issues the treatment.
Depending on the type of health insurance coverage, the insurer may cater to the treatment cost directly with the provider. In other cases, the policyholder gets their money after paying the medical bills.
For authoritative medical sources in Nigeria, the NHIS official website (www.nhis.gov.ng)provides comprehensive information on health insurance policies, how to get it under each scheme and its benefits.
How Does Health Insurance Work in Nigeria?
The way it typically works is that you pay a premium upfront to a health insurance company and that payment allows you to share “risk” with lots of other people who are making similar payments.
Since most people are healthy most of the time, the premium Naira paid to the insurance company can be used to cover the expenses of the relatively small number of enrollees who get sick or are injured.
Insurance companies, as you can imagine, have studied risk extensively, and their goal is to collect enough premiums to cover the medical costs of the enrollees.
Health care in Nigeria can be very expensive. A single doctor’s office visit may cost several thousands of Naira and an average three-day hospital stay can run into hundreds of thousands (or even more) depending on the type of care provided.
Most of us cannot afford to pay such large sums when we get sick, especially since we don’t know how much care we might need. There is Micro Insurance that helps cater to most of these needs. Health insurance offers ways to lessen these costs to more affordable amounts.
How to Get Health Insurance in Nigeria
To Get health insurance in Nigeria, follow the steps below:
- Visit the website of the insurance provider
- Click the policy you want to apply for
- Provide all necessary information on the fields seen
- Select your choice of hospital from the list
- Pay the insurance provider
- Confirm payment
- Get your policy documents and start to enjoy your insurance package.
Other Ways To Get Health Insurance in Nigeria
You can get health insurance through your employer or the government. There are three main options:
- Through your employer: If you work for an employer who provides health insurance, they will be able to offer you their plan. It’s important to check with your employer before signing up for anything. They may have specific requirements or restrictions that make it difficult for you to qualify for their plan.
- Through the government: If you work for a government agency, such as a school or university, then you will be eligible for their plan. However, this isn’t always an option. It depends on what agency you work for and whether or not they are willing to provide coverage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, getting health insurance in Nigeria is a straightforward process that has a great benefit for you. By choosing the right plan yourself using NHIS or a reputable HMO or your employer doing it, can ensure access to a wide range of healthcare services.
This wide range of services can cover preventive care to complex treatments. Staying informed about your enrollment process and options is crucial to maximizing the advantages of health insurance.
Ultimately, taking the right step to get health insurance is an investment in your well-being and finances, providing peace of mind in the face of health uncertainties.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does health insurance cost in Nigeria?
Individual health insurance plans for a single parent or a child can cost ₦10,000. Singular private medical care services range from ₦30,000 to ₦220,000 and family is between ₦125,000 to ₦650,000.
How much does a doctor consultation cost in Nigeria?
The average cost of a doctor’s consultation at a private health centre in Nigeria is between N5,000 to N15,000. The majority collects N10,000 naira.
Does NHIS cover CS in Nigeria?
The NHIF covers cesarean section under its health insurance plans.