•Says a lot of money is being used to pay cover for various civil servants to private insurers such as the police and the legislators
•He further noted that those who are going to seek for medical treatment abroad should do so through laid down protocols
Image: FILE
Ugenya MP David Ochieng has rooted for the formation of a national health service to address the challenge of cost and access to healthcare by all Kenyans.
Speaking on Citizen TV on Monday, the legislator said a national health service similar to the one existing in Britain will take care of everybody, adding that contributors will be assured of getting services when they need them.
He said despite Kenyans paying as high as Sh1,700 to the National Health Insurance Scheme, a lot of money is being used to pay cover for various civil servants to private insurers such as the police and the legislators.
“We pay Sh1,700 but we don’t use it because behind us is very generous insurance scheme. We should have universal healthcare and ensure that everyone who works for government goes for it,” he said.
He further noted that those who are going to seek for medical treatment abroad should do so through laid down protocols.
“The fund the way it is currently being run cannot help us transition into a serious universal health system regime we need to abolish it and look at the principles and ethics of establishing a working national health scheme,” he said.
He further opposed the proposal to increase contributions to the National Health Insurance Scheme from July and instead called for a cap on the rates just like the proposed 3 per cent cap on housing levy.
President William Ruto has said the current rates, in which salaried workers pay between Sh150 and Sh1,700 depending on their monthly pay, are going to be phased out and replaced with a flat rate of 2.7 per cent of the salary.
During the Labour Day celebrations, the Head of State announced that his administration is working on changing the contribution formula for NHIF.
Ruto said those who have been contributing Sh500 will now contribute Sh300 per month. This applies to the self-employed and those in the informal sector.
In the proposed reforms, Kenyans earning a gross salary of Sh50,000 will contribute Sh1,350 monthly, those with Sh100,000 will contribute Sh2,700 per month.
Ruto said his contribution to the fund will increase from Sh1,700 to Sh27,500.
But Ochieng said the rate will ensure those at the lowest level of the pyramid continue paying what they have been paying while those at the higher level pay a higher amount but capped at a percentage.
“Some of us who are able to pay Sh10,000 can pay it at the max because I don’t believe we should graduate a health contribution scheme based on how much I earn,” he said.
The ministry in March begun the process of process of changing the fund to the National Social Health Insurance Fund.
The restructuring will include expanding the number of services covered and the network of healthcare providers.
This seeks to ensure it benefits Kenyans in accessing quality and affordable healthcare and drives the attainment of the Universal Health Coverage agenda.