Tenure of former NHIF staff under SHA extended
The contract for the 1, 700 staff was to end this month
2mon agoFELIX KIPKEMOINews
The Social Health Authority (SHA) has issued a mandatory compliance order to all employers across the country regarding contributions for medical cover.
In a notice, the agency reminded the employers of their legal obligation to register with the Authority and remit timely contributions under the Social Health Insurance (SHI) Act, 2023.
The Act mandates that every employer, including those in the national and county governments, as well as private sector organisations, must register with SHA.
It also mandates them to register their employees and their dependents and submit monthly contributions to the Social Health Insurance Fund.
“Enrol all employees in the SHA system, ensure their details are up to date and encourage them to add their dependents,” reads the notice.
It further reminded them of the consequences of failure to remit these contributions by the 9th of every month.
SHA stated that failure to pay contributions on time, without a valid reason, is considered an offense.
“Not paying contributions to the SHIF without a valid reason is an offence,” it states.
According to Section 27(6) of the SHI Act, any late payment attracts a penalty of two percent of the amount due for every period it remains unpaid.
Persistent non-compliance may result in further penalties, including fines of up to two million shillings or imprisonment for up to three years of result in loss of health services for employees.
Employers can register their organisations through the official SHA employer portal at https://employers.sha.go.ke/registration/corporate.
Those seeking help with registration, compliance, or remittance processes can contact SHA via the toll-free line 147, visit the website at www.sha.go.ke, or email [email protected]., it stated.
SHA was rolled out on October 1, 2024, to replace the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) which has been there for decades.
This initiative aims to expand healthcare access and achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by ensuring healthcare services are available and affordable for all citizens.
The rollout involved registering Kenyans for SHA, introducing a new benefit package, and preparing health facilities to deliver services
