Mandatory NHIF To Be Rolled Out For Every Kenyan

Have you been paying for your NHIF? Do you have another insurance? Do you see paying for NHIF as a waste of time and resources? Well, soon, you will have to pay for it whether you like it or not, or risk being arrested and jailed. Are you ready?

The National Treasury is putting in place a plan that will see every household in Kenya be compelled to pay 500 shillings monthly (6000 shillings annually) towards the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) as GoK lines up cover for “all Kenyans.”

According to the Treasury CS Ukur Yatani, the 6,000 annual fees will be paid under the controversial universal health coverage (UHC) scheme for outpatient and inpatient services, including maternity, dialysis, cancer treatment, and surgery.

Currently, only employed Kenyans are the ones who must pay for their NHIF, the amount that is often deducted from their monthly pay and remitted by the employer. The scheme is currently optional for self-employed Kenyans in the informal sector.

“Government focus is on the establishment of a mandatory UHC scheme to be managed by NHIF and regulated by the Ministry of Health and act as the national scheme for all persons resident in Kenya, notwithstanding one’s social status,” said Yatani.

NHIF has for years been marred with controversy with allegations of massive corruption involving senior employees and government officials. There has also been controversy on how the criteria the Fund use to fund those seeking health services abroad.

It is not clear what mechanism the government will use to ensure that every household coughs out the 6,000 shillings every year or 500 shillings every month given that millions of Kenyans leave from hand to mouth on a daily basis.

“Focus is also on the provision of health insurance cover to initially one million households who are vulnerable and unable to meet even that low-cost premium,” added Yatani.