The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) was established under the National Health Insurance Act 2003, Act 650, as a body corporate, with perpetual succession, an Official Seal, that may sue and be sued in its own name. As a body corporate, the Authority in the performance of its functions may acquire and hold movable and immovable property and may enter into a contract or any other transaction. A new law, Act 852 has replaced ACT 650 in october 2012 to consolidate the NHIS, remove administrative bottlenecks,introduce transparency, reduce opportunites for corruption and gaming of the system, and make for more effective governance of the schemes