- Senators have put the Ministry of Health over preparedness to implement the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) barely a week before the official launch.
- The lawmakers spoke when they met Health PS Harry Kimtai to explain the SHIF regulations developed by the ministry ahead of the roll-out of the new programme
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Senators have put the Ministry of Health to task over preparedness to implement the Social Health Insurance Fund, barely a week before its official launch.
The lawmakers spoke when they met Health PS Harry Kimtai to explain the SHIF regulations developed by the ministry ahead of the roll-out.
Kimutai appeared before the Senate Delegated Legislation Committee on Wednesday.
The ministry has announced that it will transition members from the National Health Insurance Fund to SHIF on July 1.
“There are very many Kenyans who were not registered for the NHIF which is the precursor of the SHIF which is supposed to commence on July 1,” Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo said.
Maanzo raised concerns that with less than 10 days, member registration was yet to begin.
Kimtai told the Senators that the ministry that was set for the transition as all the necessary legal instruments were being put in place.
He added that Kenyans will be required to apply to the social health authority to enable their switch from NHIF.
“The Act on its own, however, is not sufficient since it does not provide the modalities for the implementation of the Primary Healthcare Fund and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund, the operationalisation of the Dispute Resolution Tribunal,” Kimutai said.
The PS said the regulations provide measures that the authority shall take to enhance access to safe and quality services offered by healthcare providers.
He added that compliance with the regulations will prevent fraud and fictitious claims.
The regulations will save public resources that will in turn be used to provide improved and comprehensive healthcare benefits to all persons in Kenya.
Modalities of enlisting, contracting and settling claims, the development of benefits and tariffs and the establishment of a digital platform for the management of the processes and services under the act are provided for in the regulations.
The Board of the Social Health Authority shall monitor the implementation of the Social Health Insurance Regulations 2024 and the Social Health Insurance (Tribunal Procedure) rules 2024 through annual reports, Kimtai told Senate.
Two weeks ago, Health CS Susan Nakhumicha said the new scheme will repeal NHIF and begin offering services to Kenyans by July 1.
Kenyans will start paying 2.75 per cent of their gross salary to SHIF.
“We have made the registration so easy; one can register through the mobile phone through a USSD code, through the help of a Community Health Promoter (CHP) or just walk to a nearby health facility to get enlisted," she said.
The CS said the exercise will ensure a smooth transition from NHIF to SHA.
“Transition exercise should be seamless. The public should not realise there has been a handshake unless at a point of service delivery.”