NHIF to publish list of accredited hospitals on May 18

Politics and policy

NHIF chairman Mohamud Ali with CEO Simeon ole Kirgotty (left) during a media briefing May 7, 2015. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA |   NATION MEDIA GROUP

By NEVILLE OTUKI, notuki@ke.nationmedia.com

In Summary

• NHIF says contributors would start accessing the enhanced medical services from July 1 when the agency expects to have completed due diligence on participating health service providers.
• Households with unreliable income sources will not be required to pay the fixed Sh500 monthly fee, but will instead pay between Sh150 and Sh500 based on their financial status.
• The new out-patient cover will offer services like general consultation, treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, renal dialysis, X-rays and minor surgical procedures.

The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) Thursday said it was reducing monthly fees for informal sector workers even as it promised to publish the long awaited list of accredited hospitals on May 18.

NHIF chairman Mohamud Ali said contributors would start accessing the enhanced medical services from July 1 when the agency expects to have completed due diligence on participating health service providers.

Mr Ali said households with unreliable income sources will not be required to pay the fixed Sh500 monthly fee, but will instead pay between Sh150 and Sh500 based on their financial status.

He said the public health insurer’s actuaries were working with Planning ministry officials to categorise informal sector workers for purposes of fixing the monthly contribution rates.

“Contributions by informal sector workers will be staggered from a minimum of Sh150 to a maximum of Sh500 to ensure they are not disadvantaged,” the NHIF chairman said at a Press conference, adding that it would be unfair to expect the unemployed to make higher contributions than the employed.

NHIF’s new monthly fees came into effect at the end of last month and require those earning Sh5,999 to pay Sh150 monthly -- the lowest deduction.

Those earning Sh100,000 and above are now required to make Sh1,700 monthly contribution or 431 per cent increment.

The pooling of cash is part of the government’s strategy to achieve universal healthcare by ensuring both poor and rich households access medical care that is often out of reach for the majority of Kenyans.

The NHIF said it had collected Sh1 billion as of Thursday and the officials expected the figure to hit the targeted Sh2.3 billion by Saturday. Mr Ali maintained that deductions are based on employees’ gross pay as opposed to basic salaries that employers have proposed.

The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) through its executive director,  Jaqueline Mugo, Thursday rejected the NHIF’s insistence on pegging the fees on gross pay.

READ: Employers want new NHIF rates pegged on basic pay

Mr Ali said that unlike the past where the NHIF only paid for inpatient services, Kenyans will from July access outpatient services in addition to inpatient care in the facilities that are divided into three categories.

Public facilities such as Kenyatta National Hospital and Eldoret’s Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital are in Category A while Category B comprises faith-based health service providers such as St Mary’s Mission Hospital in Nairobi.

A user will not incur any expenses if they choose to seek medical attention in public and faith-based hospitals unlike in private facilities (Category C) — which most Kenyans prefer because they are better equipped but will require extra cash.

The insurer said it was discussing capitation rates with the service providers in partnership with the 47 county governments.