The national government is seeking to extend the contract of The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for civil servants that provided comprehensive medical insurance.
In a notice dated 19th November 2024 by State Department for Public Service Principal Secretary Amos Gathecha, a request was made to Social Health Authority (SHA) Chief Executive Officer Robert Ingasira to extend the contract up to 31st December 2024.
This will enable seamless transition from NHIF to SHA and allow for adequate time for finalization of the regulations and effective service delivery to the scheme beneficiaries.
Government officials led by Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei had held a meeting on 20th October 2024 and it was agreed to extend the service to allow for finalization and implementation of the public finance management (Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund) Regulations, 2024.
In his State of the Nation Address on Thursday, President William Ruto said too many households have lived on the edge, just one illness away from financial catastrophe.
“This is precisely what we will correct through the provision of universal healthcare. This agenda is not just a promise; it is a bold commitment to deliver health through transformative financing reforms, making healthcare accessible and affordable, digitizing healthcare services to enhance efficiency, eliminate fraud and stop corruption, and to empower a skilled and motivated health workforce,” the president said.
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The shift from the National Health Insurance Fund model to Taifa Care is fundamental and radical in both scale and character.
He said NHIF served a few salaried Kenyans and those who could pay, but Taifa Care covers every Kenyan regardless of their employment status. Secondly, despite serving a limited class of citizens, NHIF nevertheless accumulated billions of shillings of debt because of misalignment between contributions and the actual cost of healthcare.
Additionally, the NHIF had a waiting period, lasting between registration and eligibility for services. Under Taifa Care, citizens are eligible for all services upon registration.
To date, over 15 million Kenyans have enrolled in Taifa Care and more than 60% of employers have successfully transitioned into its framework.
By Obegi Malack
obegimalack@gmail.com
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