NHIF audit report out next month

By Luke Anami

An audit report seeking to establish the National Hospital Insurance Fund’s ability to finance outpatient medical insurance services will be ready by the end of next month, fund’s CEO, Richard Kerich, has said.

The audit, being conducted by the International Finance Corporation, a branch of the World

Bank, was commissioned two months ago by the Ministry of Medical Services.

The report seeks, among other things, to examine the internal systems of the fund with a view of

making it effective and efficient in the delivery of medical insurance services.

"The report is expected by the end of next month after which we will meet to discuss its contents," Kerich said.

He said the result of the audit would aid the fund in determining the appropriate financial systems that it can employ in the delivery of medical insurance to Kenyans.

Kerich called on those opposed to the new contributions to await the outcome of the

report before criticising it. He said the fund will

consult all stakeholders within the medical insurance sector.

"The report will also supplement NHIF’s Outpatient Cover Pilot that was initiated six months ago to provide lessons for the eventual roll out of the outpatient cover?" Kerich added.

NHIF works with over 400 healthcare service providers in the country.

Under the new rates, employees who earn more than Sh100, 000 will pay Sh2,000 while those who earn more than Sh30,000 will pay Sh1,000 per month.

AAR general manager, Elijah Wachira, has urged the stakeholders to come up with rates that are relevant, appropriate, executable, and implementable within the Kenyan healthcare environment.

"We are aware an audit to give a report card of NHIF’s performance was commissioned.

Results of such an audit would be very important prior to commissioning of the project to inform areas of capacity building?" Wachira said.