NHIF To Allow Men Cover Multiple Wives

The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) has published regulations that will allow men to get medical cover for multiple wives, if Parliament approves the proposed law, marking a departure from medical insurance norms.

The regulations have a clause providing medical coverage to polygamous families on condition the male member pays an extra Sh500 for the additional wives. This is a departure from the current NHIF rules that cover one spouse and a maximum of five children.

Most private insurance firms recognize the principal member, one registered spouse, and up to four children for medical coverage, especially those backed by employers. Members with two wives are often forced to have another cover for the second wife who is listed as the principal member.

The NHIF’s move to recognize multiple wives comes more than eight years after former President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law a marriage Bill legalizing polygamy.

“Where a standard contributor includes more than one spouse as a beneficiary, the contributor shall remit an additional contribution to the Fund,” says a new clause in the republished regulations.

“The rate of the additional contribution referred to in the sub-regulation shall be five hundred shillings in respect of each spouse.”

The NHIF is seeking community input on the new regulations ahead of parliamentary approval for the new rates and the clause backing members with multiple wives.

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