Sifuna wants new health insurance scheme deductions capped at Sh2,000

"...the staff of the Fund are eligible to apply for the positions advertised by the Authority and may be considered for appointment," Paragraph 3 of the First Schedule that Sifuna wants deleted reads in part.

The bill further offers employees of the NHIF not appointed in the new recruitment the chance to require or be redeployed within the public service.

"A person who immediately before the commencement of this Act was an employee of the Fund under the National Health Insurance Fund Act (now repealed) shall be an employee of the Authority as if appointed under this Act, and all benefits accruing to an employee under the National Health Insurance Fund Act (now repealed) shall continue to accrue to that employee under this Act," Sifuna's amendment to the First Schedule reads in part.

The National Assembly has approved the bill that will see the NHIF scrapped and if the amendment is adopted, the bill would need concurrence from both Houses of Parliament.

President William Ruto has previously sold the new scheme as necessary for achieving universal health coverage, arguing that the NHIF was not viable.