Kenyans to pay higher National Hospital Insurance Fund rates from January

Kenyans may start paying the new National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) rates from January next year.

NHIF Board Chairman Mohamud Ali revealed yesterday that their engagements with various stakeholders including the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) and Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) had begun bearing fruit and paving the way for implementation of the new rates in January.

"The implementation of the new rates was impossible because key stakeholders like employers and workers were opposed to them. But now our efforts to reach an agreement are finally bearing fruit. We hope to effect the new rates by January," he said.

The board chairman said recent engagements with Cotu had resulted in the workers' body agreeing to implementation of the new rates. The organisation is expected to withdraw the case it had filed against the new rates two years ago.

Yesterday, FKE Executive Director Jacqueline Mugo said the board was meeting to make a decision on the matter.

Ms Mugo indicated that FKE had been in consultation with NHIF to resolve concerns such as reforms in NHIF, the organisation's capacity to efficiently manage the increased contributions as well its ability to handle new services such as outpatient cover.

THE REFORMS

"We are very happy that NHIF engaged us to address our reservations. We have been collecting views on the new rates from employers and the FKE board is expected to make a decision on the matter," she said.

"We are looking for a win-win situation for both employers and workers. We want to ensure that NHIF becomes more efficient to prudently handle more contributions," Mugo added.

Mr Ali said yesterday NHIF was in the middle of a comprehensive reform process including opening more regional offices to increase its capability of implementing its services. Currently, NHIF has 98 service points across the country and more are expected to be opened in the coming days.

Ali added that new regional managers would be put in place by early next year to drive the reform agenda as well as technological innovations including biometric registration of members.

NHIF has also announced that staff will be redeployed in all its offices to match them with their education and skills to enable them deliver on their mandate better.