NHI tells graduates: Change status or lose coverage

Students graduating this year run the risk of losing their health insurance coverage if they don’t change their status, said the National Health Insurance (NHI).

It noted that students are currently covered under its system.

“However, upon graduation, persons who remain unemployed must change their eligibility or ‘status’ and pay voluntary contributions,” added the NHI.

Roy Barry, who is in charge of the government-owned insurance entity, said: “We want to ensure that, if medical care is needed, graduates are covered. Hence, I am encouraging all graduates to come to the NHI office to change their eligibility as early as possible to maintain insurance coverage.”

The NHI added: “If graduates become employed, their employer holds the responsibility of registering them. An employed or self-employed person’s contribution rate is 7.5 percent of insurable earnings, which is equally divided between the employers and employees; [each] contributing 3.75 percent.”