Insurance regulator wants healthcare providers registered

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority (Tira) has encouraged countrywide registration of healthcare service providers to qualify for assistance whenever they face challenges in the execution of their daily activities.

The authority believes that the online registration of service providers will help in their identification and get the authority’s backing in case they are not paid on time or in full.

“Health service providers have been raising different concerns and claims against insurance companies. However, the Universal Health Insurance (UHI) Act provides room for their resolutions,” said the commissioner for Insurance, Dr Baghayo Saqware.

Dr Saqware, who was speaking during a meeting gathering with Tira officials from the eastern zone and healthcare service providers, said for stakeholders to get assistance, they are supposed to register online.

The meeting was organised to provide public education on the importance of online registration among healthcare service providers all over the country, according to him.

He said Tira targeted registering 6,000 service providers by the end of the 2024/25 financial year, noting that currently, the authority has managed to register over 200 centres from the eastern zone.

“Service providers need to note that failure to register will lead to the authority’s failure to serve them efficiently and diligently as stipulated by the law, especially when facing different challenges related to unpaid bills,” he said. During the event, the Association of Private Health Facilities in Tanzania (APHFTA) health coordinator, Dr Benezy Makaranga, said 90 percent of service providers were facing the excessive challenge of payment delays from insurers.

He said that while some companies were not paid on time, others received fewer payments compared to submitted claims.

Unfortunately, she said complaints related to delays have been directed to the same companies blamed for the late payments, therefore weakening the quality of services offered by respective health centres.

“We are grateful that Tira will now regulate healthcare service providers. The authority will address the challenges we are facing, as we encourage members to seize the available opportunity through massive registration of their facilities,” she said.

Tira eastern zone manager Zakaria Muyengi said the event was part of the authority’s efforts to fulfil its responsibilities, especially ahead of the commencement and execution of the UHI.

“We will continue raising public awareness about insurance and its significance among different groups,” insisted Mr Muyengi.