Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai has called on the public to update their dependents’ details on the Social Health Authority (SHA) portal to ensure smooth service delivery at health facilities. This announcement came during a meeting held in Nairobi with ministry officials and County Executive Committee (CEC) members from the Health Caucus.
PS Kimtai assured that the initial challenges faced during the SHA rollout are being addressed, and emphasized the importance of collaboration with county governments to boost registration. “The enrolment has been successful, and we have agreed to work with counties to increase registration,” he said. One of the main challenges identified was that many people had not added their dependents during registration.
To remedy this, SHA members will need to specify the relationship with their dependents and, for those under 18, provide birth certificates. Kimtai stressed that ensuring dependents are registered is crucial for seamless access to healthcare services.
The SHA is positioned as a significant improvement over its predecessor, the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). PS Kimtai explained that SHA offers three funds, as opposed to NHIF’s single fund, designed to provide comprehensive healthcare coverage.
- Primary Healthcare Fund: This fund covers free medical treatment at dispensaries and health centers for SHA-registered patients.
- Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF): For those who have made their contributions, this fund offers enhanced outpatient, inpatient, and emergency care, including coverage for mental health, critical illnesses, and major surgeries.
- Emergency, Chronic, & Critical Illness Fund: This fund covers conditions like cancer and kidney disease, requiring emergency treatments such as dialysis.
The SHA’s emergency fund will be a groundbreaking initiative, offering free emergency treatment to all Kenyans for the first time since the enactment of the 2010 Constitution. “I want to assure the public that they will get more benefits than they did under NHIF,” Kimtai emphasized.
SHA contributions are set at 2.75% of household income, with a fair premium determined for those not on payroll based on their financial capacity using a means-testing tool. This new system promises quality and accessible healthcare for all Kenyans, supported by a robust digital platform to eliminate fraud.
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