- Out of the Sh37.3 billion paid to hospitals by the insurer as claims, private hospitals pocketed Sh22.1 billion
MPs have accused NHIF of channeling billions of shillings of members' contributions to specialised treatment for rich people and neglecting the poor.
Lawmakers on Wednesday said the National Hospital Insurance Fund has spent billions of shillings on meeting specialised treatment which is often associated with the big shots.
Members of the National Assembly’s Health Committee demanded an explanation from NHIF on why colossal amounts of contributions are channeled for specialized treatment packages and to private hospitals.
MPs David Ochieng’ (Ugenya), Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren) and Zachary Thuku (Kinangop) said money meant to provide healthcare for poor Kenyans was being used to cater for the treatment of rich people.
The concern stemmed from the presentation made by National Hospital Insurance Fund acting CEO Nocodemus Odongo before the committee.
From the tabled documents, private health facilities received the lion's share of NHIC cash beating public and mission hospitals by a record margin.
Out of the Sh37.3 billion paid to hospitals by the insurer as claims, private hospitals pocketed Sh22.1 billion.
From the payout, government-run hospitals received Sh7.1 billion while faith-based hospitals got Sh8 billion.
The documents showed that specialised packages offered by the fund gobbled up Sh17.7 billion while outpatient and inpatient services popular among the majority of Kenyans received Sh8.2 and Sh11.7 billion respectively.
“NHIF is using poor people to fund rich people going out of the country to get health care services,” Ochieng’ said.
“Do you conduct actuarial studies before you come up with these packages? Because it appears the poor are subsidising healthcare for the rich through your institutions,” Eseli said.
Thuku demanded answers as to why private hospitals swallowed more than half of all payments made by the fund and a breakdown of all private health facilities which received the money and how much they each got.
Odongo denied claims of the rich riding on the back of ordinary Kenyans to finance expensive medication abroad.
“In terms of treatment in and out of the country, there exist no discrimination at all. We as NHIF pay a flat rate of Sh500,000 upon approval by the ministry,” Odongo said.
Unconvinced with the response, the committee directed that he supply a comprehensive list of all members who have gone abroad for treatment and the amount each was allocated.
edited by peter obuya