My two cents on the new NHIF reforms

I remember a few years ago when I first heard about the National Hospital Insurance Fund(NHIF). Back then, I was a bit young and carefree and didn’t give a hoot about it but my dad insisted that everyone gets to register with them. I didn’t understand why he would care so much about a health insurance yet before we had been surviving just fine without one. Anyway, I made a point going to NHIF offices to register but I was told to pay Ksh. 500. I was a student then and I felt 500 bob was too much to part with. So I left without registering and so I resorted to playing cat and mouse games with him whenever he inquired about my registration. He finally gave up.

Fast-forward to when I got my first job and an NHIF number was a requirement. I registered and finally started taking some interest in the NHIF activities. It came across as the best health insurance for the common mwananchi as it was affordable and reliable. At some point I took pride as a Kenyan for such a project. I was thankful to the Jubilee government. However, my joy and pride were prematurely and selfishly stolen from me when I stumbled upon the new NHIF degrades.

According to a printout doing rounds, NHIF has reduced the number of hospital visits to four annually. Can you imagine? The NHIF that you so dedicatedly pay for(or deducted for) will only cover four of your hospital visits to the hospital. Another thing, the bill should not exceed Ksh.1500 per visit for civil servants in group A to K. This basically covers most of the civil servants. This print out has left such a bad taste in my mouth. Like what irony? Do you choose the number of times you fall ill in an year and do you too get to choose what ailment to ail from so that you do not incur huge medical bills?

To me, these reforms are pure BS and an insult to the common mwananchi!!!  This is a case of the government ruthlessly stealing from their loyal taxpayers in broad daylight. During the campaign period, I saw the former Nairobi Women representative giving NHIF cards to bodaboda riders. As much as it was a campaign strategy, it was also intended to help the riders access cheap and reliable Medicare. How then are they going to enjoy that with these new crappy reforms? They will not!!! I am a bitter Kenyan this afternoon and I strongly feel this reforms needs and must be revisited.