NHIF scheme hospitals ‘picked through tender’
NHIF chief executive Richard Kerich (left) with the Secretary- General of the Union of Kenya Civil Servants, Tom Odege, when they announced the new medical scheme for civil servants early this year. Photo/FILE
The national health insurer has distanced itself from claims that it influenced which hospitals were to be included in the new comprehensive medical scheme for civil servants.
The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) director, Mr Richard Kerich, said on Sunday three tender notices were placed in the media, inviting hospitals interested in providing their services under the medical scheme to come forward.
“If a health institution did not apply, it cannot be included in the list of those to provide the important health service,” he said in an interview yesterday. Currently, at least 1,544 health providers have already signed up with them.
The House Committee on Health, led by Nyaribari Chache MP Robert Monda, had questioned the insurer’s choice of service providers and whether those accredited had the capacity to offer the service needed.
The committee had questioned how two private healthcare chains — Clinix Health Care Limited with 56,747 members and Meridian Medical Centre with 32,824 members — signed up more than 40 per cent of the 221,730 eligible civil servants.
They also questioned the insurer’s decision to pay accredited hospitals and clinics in full before they deliver their services.
Shed more light
More than Sh1.08 billion is said to have already been sent out to 1,170 hospitals through capitation.The national insurer’s top officials are expected to appear before the committee this week to shed more light on the scheme.
Mr Kerich said they did not have a role in the selection of two healthcare chains by many civil servants as their preferred treatment centres since they had been given a freehand to choose.
