The ministry of health has committed to ensure payment of all the outstanding emoluments before the end of transition from National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to new established Social Health Authority (SHA).
Out of Heath basics, acting Health Cabinet Secretary Suzan Nakhumicha disclosed the balance showed the fund owed on medical claims stood at 20 billion and 9. 3 billion to co-insurers, while the balance of premiums which were outstanding to the fund was at Sh28 billion as of June 30, 2024.
The transition involves release of funds in five calendar years starting from 2019/2020 up to 2023/2024. Just last May 31, 2024 the Fund was in a position to pay Sh. 20 billion in claims of Medical and Sh. 9.3 billion co- insurers of the outstanding premium of Sh. 28 billion to the fund.
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“The Ministry of Health and the Authority have put in place measures to ensure the claims are settled before the end of the transition,” stated CS Nakhumicha to the Senate Health Committee on the rollout of Universal Health Care (UHC).”
CS Nakhumicha further ensured that before the transition period, the ministry will pay all the unpaid NHIF remittances to the healthcare facilities, as well as all other outstanding remittances.
She further assured the house that the Ministry has religiously followed up on claims by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) through the National Treasury and confirmed that the Board has de-emphasized on administrative expenses while tilting payments on claims settlement.
Furthermore, to ensure that all assets, liabilities, and resources are transferred effectively to the SHA, the ministry has been conducting claim confirmation and validation to ensure only valid claims are paid.
“Following the enactment of the SHA Act, 2023, a Transition Committee was gazetted on 26th January 2024. The Committee works with both the NHIF Board and SHA Board, and they developed a comprehensive work plan which included verification of assets and liabilities of NHIF,” Nakhumicha said.
Initially, the transfer from the National Health Insurance Fund to SHA was planned for July 1, 2024, but the rollover team pointed out that SHA still cannot operate.
The Transition Committee added that the NHIF should continue and the SHA progress being made because there are important features that are still under development to support the new health authority.
