Health unions call for public participation on proposed NHIF rates

Health unions now want the National Health Insurance Fund to conduct public participation forums on the proposed enhanced contributions.

The unions in a joint statement said the NHIF should agree with Kenyans on how the enhanced contributions will assure them of quality services.

Their call comes after NHIF expressed a desire to increase monthly contributions to 2.75 per cent of the gross salary.

“Many Kenyans have challenges using NHIF cards to access service,” the statement reads.

NHIF must explain to Kenyans how the enhancement of contributions will enable them access quality services without suffering catastrophic financial harm,” it adds.

The government has already proposed to tax Kenyans 2.75 per cent of their salaries to fund its Universal Health Coverage scheme through the NHIF.

The proposed tax will double NHIF contributions by jobless Kenyans aged 18 from Sh500 to Sh1,000.

Jobless people currently contribute Sh500 monthly but are most of the time unable to pay.

Last week, NHIF acting CEO Samson Kuhora said increasing NHIF rates will be beneficial to patients.

Kuhora said the proposed new rates will help cover the treatment plans of cancer patients.

"One of the things that are most expensive at the moment is the management of cancer and when we estimate how much we are likely to spend if 85 per cent of the population is covered, we are looking at a bill of Sh71 billion," he said.

Kuhora said that NHIF only covers sessions of treatment and not the entire treatment plan at the moment.

He said increasing NHIF rates will help finance the whole treatment plan.

The unions include the Kenya National Union of Nurses, the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers, the Kenya National Union Medical Laboratory Officers and the Kenya National Union of Pharmaceutical Technologists and Officers.

Others include the Kenya Union of Nutritionists and Dietitians and the Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union.