Security officers threaten to pull out of NHIF cover

The NHIF Building in Upper Hill, Nairobi. PHOTO | FILE 

By LYNET IGADWAH, ligadwah@ke.nationmedia.com

In Summary

• The NHIF signs contracts with accredited health facilities to offer services to scheme members which include 103,442 members of the disciplined services.
• Kenyatta National Hospital has indicated that the rebates paid by NHIF under the various contracts are insufficient to meet the cost of treatment of beneficiaries.

Members of the disciplined services are threatening to withdraw from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) medical scheme citing discrimination from accredited health facilities.

Under the scheme administered by the national insurer, the officers benefits include emergency air rescue services by AMREF flying doctors, road ambulance services by the Kenya Red Cross and overseas treatment.

The NHIF signs contracts with accredited health facilities to offer services to scheme members which include 103,442 members of the disciplined services drawn from the Kenya Army, the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Police

“The disciplined forces have written to the Ministry expressing their desire to be moved out of the medical scheme,” said Lilian Omollo, Youth and Public Service Principal Secretary.

She told Parliament on Tuesday the Ministry had been receiving complaints from the officers over mistreatment and poor customer care services at the accredited health facilities under the NHIF medical scheme.

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has been singled out for allegedly denying healthcare services at its private wing to civil servants under Job Group M.

When the medical scheme was effected in January 2012, all civil servants and members of the disciplined services who had chosen KNH were served at the corporate unit.

The service point for scheme members in Job Group M and below has since been transferred to the walk-in clinic where other members of the public access medical services.

According to Ms Omollo, the transfer was done without consultations with the NHIF and the scheme members who chose the facility.

KNH chief executive Lily Koros defended the move saying there was no ill motive in transferring the point of service from the corporate unit to the walk-in clinic.

Members of the disciplined services have also complained of lack of guidelines on the use of capitation funds with others being forced to buy drugs despite remittances made to the hospitals.

The government, through the National Treasury, meets the cost of premiums which currently stand at sh4.6 billion per annum.

The cover provides both outpatient and inpatient medical services on family shared basis where members can access medical services in NHIF accredited and contracted public, mission and private health facilities in the country.

The medical scheme covers a total of 236,996 members in Job group A to T.

KNH has indicated that the rebates paid by NHIF under the various contracts are insufficient to meet the cost of treatment of beneficiaries.