By Gwurld4026 
One-Hour Treatment Approval: NHIA’s Directive to HMOs
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has mandated that Health Management Organizations (HMOs) in Nigeria authorize treatment requests within one hour of submission by healthcare providers. This directive, effective from April 1, 2025, aims to reduce delays in accessing services and enhance the quality of care for enrollees.
Key Points of the Directive:
- Authorization Timeline: HMOs must issue authorization codes within one hour of receiving requests from healthcare providers.
- Emergency Cases: For emergencies, treatment can commence without prior authorization, with the code to be obtained within 48 hours as per existing guidelines.
- Non-Compliance Reporting: Healthcare providers are instructed to proceed with necessary treatments if HMOs fail to authorize within the one-hour window and to inform the NHIA promptly.
- Enrollee Feedback: Enrollees experiencing delays beyond the stipulated timeframe are encouraged to report these issues directly to the NHIA.
- Sanctions: The NHIA will apply appropriate sanctions to entities found deliberately delaying treatment authorizations.
This initiative underscores the NHIA’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery efficiency and ensuring timely access to medical services for all enrollees.