The Ministry
of Health has announced that at least 12,704,548 Kenyans have so far registered
for the Social Health Authority.
The number
includes verified members who were under the defunct National Health Insurance
Fund and have been transitioned to SHA.
In a
statement on Sunday, Health PS Harry Kimtai said Sunday marks the sixth day of
SHA since its roll out on October 1, 2024.
He said a
total of 10,904 end users have been trained, enrolled and their credentials
sent.
PS Kimtai
asked Kenyans to register and add their dependants for them to access
healthcare services.
“Registration
is a continuous process and is ongoing through the USSD *147# or web-based
portal on www.sha.go.ke or www.afyayangu.go.ke.
We have also noted that most beneficiaries are registering but not adding their
dependents,” he said.
The PS said
all registered SHA beneficiaries are entitled to free access to primary
healthcare services under the Primary Healthcare Fund at Level 2 dispensaries, Level
3 health centres and select Level 4 health facilities and emergency services in
all health facilities.
Kimtai said all
public Level 2 to 6 hospitals have been contracted and are offering services to
SHA registered beneficiaries.
The PS said a
total of 1,442 faith-based health facilities have returned duly signed
contracts and are offering services to SHA registered beneficiaries.
According to
the PS, the list of all health facilities contracted and offering services is
available on the web-based portal on https://sha.go.ke/resources/categories/2
and has been segregated for ease of identification and access.
They include
contracted government facilities, contracted private and faith-based
facilities, contracted facilities offering cancer care and contracted
facilities offering renal care.
The PS
said private and faith-based hospitals associations agreed that all their
health facilities will return duly signed contracts latest Tuesday, October 8,
2024.
However,
they have committed to ensuring continued access to healthcare services to all
SHA registered beneficiaries during this transition period.
The PS added
that the SHA electronic claims system experienced challenges on the e-claims
portal on member verification and claims processing but the challenge has since
been addressed.
“We
have also made sure that the Health Insurance Claims System (HICS) operating
under the defunct NHIF continues to be in operation for member verification,
discharge of patients admitted before October 1, 2024, and for claims
management of the active enhanced schemes whose contracts have not expired,” he
added.
He said a
joint committee with health providers will be constituted to undertake
verification of all pending bills incurred under the defunct NHIF.
He further
said that the Ministry has committed to the healthcare providers to prioritise
the bills during the transition period from October 1, 2024.