Accounting officers on the spot over NHIF remittances

 

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

By EDWIN MUTAI
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Finance accounting officers in State agencies including CEOs, governors, principal secretaries who fail to remit workers contributions to the NHIF will be personally held liable for the costs incurred by employees when seeking treatment.

The Senate wants respective accounting officers in the national government, county government and parastatals under the two units to personally foot the costs incurred by an employee during the period when the contribution to the NHIF is due.

NHIF suspends medical cover for workers on continued default by the employers, forcing them to turn to their pockets and seek support from family and friends to foot expensive medical bills.

The NHIF Act of 1998 currently does not compel employers to compensate their workers when their insurance is suspended for non-remittance, a gap that has left employees exposed in the wake of rising defaults by their employers.

CONTRACTED PROVIDER

“Where an employer is a national government, county government or a national or county government entity, the respective accounting officer shall be personally liable for the costs that would have been covered by the Fund and incurred by the employee when seeking treatment from a contracted health care provider during the period when the contribution is due,” the Senate said in further changes to the NHIF (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

Senate’s proposal is aimed at protecting workers who pay medical bills out of their pockets when employers fail to remit contributions to the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).

The Senate is seeking to ensure that accounting officers and not State agencies are made to personally foot hospital bills when employees NHIF cover is suspended on employers’ failure to remit contributions.

The proposals are contained in its review of the government- backed National Hospital Insurance Fund (Amendment) Bill.

The National Assembly will this afternoon debate and vote to accept or reject the Senate proposal during a special sitting called by Speaker Justin Muturi.

MPs amended the NHIF Act, compelling employers, county government and State agencies to compensate their workers for paying medical bills out of pocket due to suspension of the NHIF cover.