- NHIF in crisi as hospitals reject patients with NHIF cards.
- NHIF monthly contribution will drop to Sh300 from July, President William Ruto.
Most hospitals in Kenya have rejected critically ill patients with chronic illnesses who depend on the
National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for their treatment, due to the confusion between NHIF
and private hospitals that have led to a huge debt to the government agency. NHIF owes hospitals up
to Ksh 12 million, which has been accumulating since last year.
“We have had patients receiving dialysis at our facilities since the middle of last year and,
together with other treatments using NHIF cover, claims have accumulated to almost Sh9
million. We received the first batch of payments last week and they are paying in bits and
pieces,” the manager told the press. He added, “If you owe me almost Sh10 million and you are
paying me Sh1 million, how do you honestly expect me to run the day-to-day finances of the
hospital, including the purchase of consumables? It cannot work. Let me wait for them to pay mefor the services I have already rendered to Kenyans before I start accumulating more,” the
manager said.
8.7 million Kenyans default following crising on NHIF. Image courtesy of Kenya News Agency.
NHIF provides health care to most Kenyans and with hospitals refusing to serve Kenyans with
NHF cards, the case has become a problem for many. Fearing reprisals, most of the hospital
managers who spoke to the press requested anonymity because the system may end up not paying
their claims. They said patients, especially those with chronic illnesses, have been turned away
from hospitals. Most of them depend on NHIF for their treatment.
However, an insider told journalists that NHIF is broke and the National Treasury owes it over Sh27
billion. He further pointed out that counties are not remitting money to the NHIF, making it
difficult for the fund to have money to pay hospitals.
“It is from counties’ statutory deductions that NHIF gets its money and what the government has
done to ensure that the National Police Service, Kenya Prison Service, Teachers Service
Commission through private firms has confused the fund,” the source said.
According to a letter from the Inspector-General of Police to the NHIF boss dated December 16,
2022, the fund has failed to provide medical services to officers.
‘We regret to inform you that your bid was not successful because it was not the lowest
technically responsive bid in the financial evaluation. You quoted Sh9.4 billion,’ the letter said.
President William Ruto on NHIF
NHIF monthly contribution will drop to Sh300 from July, President William Ruto. Image courtesy of The Star.
President William Ruto revealed on April 24 that, the national government will not match
contributions to the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) for low-income earners. He said
this, eight months after he announced the restructuring of NHIF that would see contributions
pegged on incomes in September last year.
‘Contributions to NHIF will now be graduated and will depend on people’s income,’ Dr. Ruto
said while on the campaign trail in Kirinyaga County as he pledged to lower minimum NHIF
contributions from Sh500 to Sh300 and offer waivers to poor households unable to pay the
monthly rates to ensure the country achieves its universal health care goals.
The government also announced changes in the National Health Insurance Fund saying
the lowest monthly contribution will be slashed by Sh200 from the next financial year.
While delivering his Labour Day speech at Uhuru Gardens, Ruto said the lowest-paid workers
and self-employed contributors will from July will pay Sh300 down from the current Sh500.
‘Wale ambao mlikuwa mnalipa kwa NHIF Sh500 sasa tutateremsha chini ikuje Sh300. Na mimi
ambaye ni rais nimekuwa nikilipa Sh1,000 sasa mimi nitalipa Sh27,500,’ he said.
(For those who have been paying Sh500 to NHIF, we will reduce that to Sh300. And for me as
President who has been paying Sh1,000 will be paying Sh27,500).
{Article by Abisai Maloba and Rodgers Mwangangi}
