Kenyans will be required to register afresh for the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), as the Ministry of Health transitions from NHIF.
Terry Rotich, the acting corporation secretary at the Social Health Authority (SHA), says that Kenyans will have to apply to the authority for registration as SHIF members by June 30.
Rotich announced on Monday, February 26 that Kenyans will begin contributing to SHIF in July 2024, and not in March as earlier announced by Health CS Susan Nakhumicha.
“All persons in Kenya shall continue to pay their contributions to the repealed NHIF and receive services under the repealed NHIF and the data of the repealed NHIF shall be retained until all claims have been settled,” Rotich said.
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SHIF aims to replace the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and eliminate the current maximum of KSh1,700 on contributions, subjecting employed Kenyans to increased deductions.
How Kenyans will contribute to SHIF
The new insurance plan mandates that households relying on salaried employment income must make a monthly contribution to SHIF at a rate of 2.75% of their gross salary.
Kenyans earning a gross salary of KSh50,000 will contribute an increase to KSh1,375 from the current KSh1,200.
Those earning over KSh100,000 will pay KSh2,750, up from KSh1,700.
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High earners with a gross income of KSh500,000 will now pay KSh13,750, up from KSh1,700, while those earning a gross salary of KSh1,000,000 will contribute KSh27,500.
Households whose income is not from salaried employment will be required to make an annual contribution to SHIF, calculated at a rate of 2.75% of the household income determined by the means-testing instrument.
According to the scheme, a beneficiary can seek treatment outside Kenya under conditions that their contributions adhere to sections 27(1) and 2 of the SHIF Act, or if the required treatment is unavailable within Kenya, and if the treatment is provided by a healthcare provider contracted by the authority.
