Do you want to know about the Best HMO in Nigeria? Well, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 Best HMO in Nigeria and all you need to know about them.
The famous saying ‘Health is wealth’ is always valid in our everyday activities. The importance of the healthy living of human beings cannot be overemphasized. Nigeria has a health structure to help its citizens with healthy living.
Civil servants and other citizens require a friendly health insurance policy, and the health maintenance organization (HMO in Nigeria) shoulders this responsibility. In this post, I will discuss the health insurance scheme and the health maintenance organization in Nigeria.
Firstly, let us look at how it started for this health agency in Nigeria.
About the Health Maintenance Organisation in Nigeria
The maintenance organization (HMO) comprises companies that offer health insurance in Nigeria. The first attempt to start a health maintenance system in Nigeria was in 1962. The parliament was looking to create a health insurance scheme in Nigeria.
However, the health Insurance scheme was finally signed into law in 1999 but became active in 2005. Between the signing of the law and the first operational year, Health maintenance organizations in Nigeria took the responsibilities of healthcare.
The National health insurance scheme (NHIS) signing triggered private agencies to provide these services to Nigerians. The health maintenance organization serves as agents to the NHIS, offering public and private sectors services.
10 Best Health Maintenance organizations (HMO in Nigeria)
In No particular order, these are the best and most reputable HMO in Nigeria
- Hygeia
- Total Health Trust
- Integrated healthcare Limited
- Princeton health Limited
- Defense Health Maintenance Limited
- Mediplan Healthcare limited
- Reliance HMO
- Swift HMO
- Novo health Africa
- Venus Medicare
There is a long list of health maintenance organizations across the country. Below, I have compiled ten health maintenance organizations in Nigeria that offer excellent health care services.
1. Hygeia HMO
This insurance company is one of these best in Nigeria. Hygeia provides good health care services for its clients and has terrific experts in different departments.
They offer various plans that are favorable to individuals, families, pregnant women, corporations. The headquarters of Hygeia is located in Lagos State.
2. Total Health Trust
Total health trust covers a wide range of medical services. The company has delivered good services to thousands of clients and members across the country.
The head office of total health trust is also located in Lagos. You can visit their website at totalhealthtrust.com for more information.
3. Integrated healthcare Limited
Integrated healthcare limited is another good health insurance company in Nigeria. They offer exceptional medical care for their clients.
Integrated healthcare limited has its head office in Abuja. For more information, visit their website at integratedhealthcareltd.com.
4. Princeton HMO
Princeton HMO is an insurance company located in Oyo State. They offer excellent services for people through medical providers. Clients have access to their different plans suitable for couples, individuals, corporations, and families.
5. Defense Health Maintenance Limited
Defense health maintenance limited provides every member with a primary healthcare provider. This health insurance company is popularly known as the Military HMO. They have over 130 medical facilities across Nigeria.
Their head office is located in Abuja and you can also contact them at dhmlnigeria.com.
6. Mediplan Healthcare limited
Mediplan healthcare limited is the health insurance that offers some of the best hospitals and facilities. They provide health care for their members and the staff of different federal ministries in Nigeria. Their plans are very affordable. Mediplan Health Insurance is available in states like Osun and Oyo state.
7. Reliance HMO
Reliance HMO is a health insurance company that effectively carries out its activities using technology. This insurance company offers services to individuals as low as N3 500 monthly. They have unique plans for both individuals and families.
This health maintenance organization is located in Lagos. You can contact them at reliancehmo.com.
8. Swift HMO
Swift is one of the most diverse health maintenance organizations in Nigeria. They have ties with over 120 hospitals and clinics across the country. The services of swift HMO are available for both large and small employers.
For more information, visit their website at swifthmo.com.
9. Novo health Africa
This organization offers healthcare services in different parts of the country. They have other plans, including the retail and corporate plans. Their App is also available on Google playstore ans IOS store. You can contact them at novohealthafrica.com.
10. Venus Medicare
Established by the Zenith Bank Group, venus medicare provides medical services for individuals, employers, and corporations in the private sector. Their services cover a wide range of medical care, from child health services to radiological services.
The insurance companies provide different medical services to both the public and the private sectors.
What are the roles of the Health Maintenance Organisation in Nigeria?
The health maintenance organization is responsible for providing healthcare and medical services to citizens. It works under the National Health Insurance Scheme in providing quality medical care for Nigerians. They have a list of roles to play in delivering these services.
- Registration of Employers and Employees
- Collects donations from employers and employees
- The organization also ensures early payment
- Collection of data forms
- Contracts with health care facilities across the country
Registration of Employers and Employees
The organization is responsible for registering employees and employers in the scheme. One of the duties of the HMO is o compile the data and other information of certified employers and employees.
Collects donations from employers and employees
Volunteers around the country also offer to contribute to the development and operational activities of the scheme. The health maintenance organization is to collects these donations from the contributors.
The organization also ensures early payment of services.
The organization runs the citizens’ primary and secondary health care services. These duties involve the infrastructure of primary healthcare facilities and free-for-service of secondary healthcare.
The health maintenance organization is responsible for making payments for the health care facilities and services.
Collection of data forms
The health care facilities have a form known as the ‘Encounter data forms.’ This form contains information on the clinical conditions and diagnosis. Collection of this data is essential, and the health management organization takes this responsibility. They also submit the ‘Encounter data form’ to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Contracts with health care facilities across the country
One of the duties of the health maintenance organization is to partner with health care facilities around the country. The medical care facilities must be approved by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to ensure services are rendered.
These are the primary duties and functions of the health maintenance organization in Nigeria. The organization also takes charge of a lot of other responsibilities.
The health maintenance also shoulders some Financial and administrative obligations to the National Health Insurance scheme. Sensitization and education are some of the functions of organizations.
However, the organization primarily offers quality and affordable medical care and facilities.
What are the benefits of the health maintenance organization?
The primary advantage of the health maintenance organization is the provision of health insurance for employees, employers, and other citizens. You can get affordable medical care with this scheme. The scheme also gives you the luxury of having a personal doctor oversee your treatments.
Consultations, treatments, and medical check-ups are some of the significant benefits of working with a health insurance company.
The health insurance scheme in Nigeria, NHIS, is strongly tied to the activities of health maintenance organizations. This partnership ensures the rendering of services to the people.
There are a lot of health maintenance organizations that provide health insurance services for clients across the country. You can easily register to any of them as the NHIS approves them. These insurance companies offer medical assistance at a low cost, and you can also enjoy benefits from their premium plans.
What do health maintenance organizations offer?
The health maintenance organization offers its clients healthcare facilities which in return provides services. The organization can provide these services to people, employees, and companies. This process works like a health insurance system. Companies can pay for the health insurance of their staff and family members. Individuals and corporate can as well pay for these healthcare facilities and services.
With the health maintenance organization, companies can subscribe to a premium plan. This plan offers healthcare facilities for every employee and their family.
What does the Premium health maintenance Organisation offer?
The premium offers you two types of policy; The first is the Capitation, and the other is similar to regular insurance.
Capitation
This type of premium plan gives you the following;
- Payment within a time frame for all employees
- Employees can only choose from one or two hospitals
- The health maintenance organization makes an advance payment to the hospital
- The companies and employees can get some unique services like Ambulance services, accidents, and emergencies.
The Regular ‘Insurance’
This method offers the following;
- It also offers payments periodically.
- Unlike the capitation, this method gives you the luxury to go to any hospital covered by the health maintenance organization.
- The HMO pays hospitals based on each treatment covered.
These premium plans all have their weak points. But they allow companies to register their employees to a great healthcare facility and services.
So, these are a few vital pieces of information about the health maintenance organizations in Nigeria.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
What is a health maintenance organization?
The health maintenance organization is an agency that works under the National health insurance scheme (NHIS). This establishment was created to provide health facilities and services to the public and private sectors. Most of the HMOs have approval from the NHIS to carry out their services.
How does the health maintenance organization work?
The HMO works like an insurance system. Clients like Companies, Individuals, or families can pay the HMO a fee for a particular period (i.e., annually). In turn, the health maintenance organization will provide healthcare facilities and services to these clients. Companies can have policies to cover healthcare services for their employees. Families can also pay HMO to provide these services.
What is the difference between HMO and Health Insurance?
The HMOs are reservative and more affordable compared to health insurance. On the other hand, Health insurance charges higher fees for their services. However, health insurance comes with more freedom. They provide services to cover healthcare that are out of their network providers. HMOs, on the other hand, cover costs only within their network.
Conclusion
The health maintenance system in Nigeria is an excellent way of getting access to healthcare. Companies can also leverage this opportunity to provide health insurance for their staff and employees.
Individuals and families are also beneficiaries of HMOs. You can get quality and affordable healthcare for your family with this system. Even at a more significant advantage, these organizations have approval from the NHIS.
So, I believe you know everything you need to know about the health maintenance organization in Nigeria.