By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ECONOMIC Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said the government is current with National Health Insurance (NHI) payments, but doctors directly contradicted him, reporting that they are still owed money and have only received half of what they are due.

“We are, you know, fulfilling those obligations. I think they’re up to date, so I don’t think there’s an issue with that,” Mr Halkitis said yesterday when pressed about payments.

However, multiple doctors told The Tribune the scheme is behind by a couple of months with some providers. Three doctors confirmed they received only 50 percent of their due payments recently. Earlier this month, Tribune Business reported that key NHI providers had not been paid for services during the first two months of the 2025–2026 fiscal year.

NHI is funded solely by taxpayers and received a $2m increase to $48.2m this year, but providers say arrears persist. In a previous conciliatory letter, NHI Authority managing director and chief executive Christy Butler attributed strain to a “static” $46.2m allocation that has not kept pace with patient volumes, expansion and rising costs.

The controversy also comes amid broader concerns about the state’s timeliness in paying vendors.