Civil servants union tries to allay fears over health cover

The entrance to the National Health Insurance Fund building in Nairobi. FILE PHOTO |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• UKCS secretary-general says the comprehensive medical scheme was there to stay.
• He told the Sunday Nation that UKCS still opposes the new NHIF statutory rates.

By WALTER MENYA
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The Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS) has tried to allay fears among its members that the new National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) rates will erode the comprehensive medical scheme they have been enjoying since 2012.

UKCS secretary-general Tom Odege said the comprehensive medical scheme was there to stay and would not be affected by NHIF’s new rates.

He told the Sunday Nation that UKCS still opposes the new NHIF statutory rates that came into effect last month because the fees were not negotiated with the workers.

“When civil servants decided to forgo their medical allowances it wasn’t a must for us to award the scheme to NHIF,” Mr Odege said.

“However, after going through the procurement process only NHIF at that time met the qualifications unlike other private insurers who also submitted their bids.”

Even with the new medical scheme, Mr Odege said, civil servants were still paying the Sh320 statutory NHIF flat rate as the law requires. He said the scheme and the new NHIF rates are completely different.