Ruto: New health laws to take effect on March 1
President William Ruto.
What you need to know:
- The Social Health Insurance Act and other laws to help ensure Universal Health Coverage, President William Ruto said, were undergoing public participation before being effected.
- Speaking at Ithanga in Gatanga where he launched an irrigation project, the President said his government was keen on providing affordable healthcare.
The controversial healthcare insurance levy is to be implemented from March 1, President William Ruto has said.
The Social Health Insurance Act and other laws to help ensure Universal Health Coverage, he said, were undergoing public participation before being effected.
Speaking at Ithanga in Gatanga where he launched an irrigation project, the President said his government was keen on providing affordable healthcare.
“We are changing the healthcare system so that people can stop selling their land to pay for hospital fees. We want a proper programme that will ensure no one sells land to pay for hospital fees,” the President said.
“We now have four new health laws. Even now public participation is going on how they will be implemented from March 1, by God’s grace,” President Ruto said.
The laws are the Primary Health Care Act, 2023, the Digital Health Act, 2023, the Facility Improvement Financing Act, 2023 and the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023.
“These laws will transform healthcare in Kenya,” said President Ruto.
He said the SHIF will see low income earners pay a monthly contribution of Sh300, down from Sh500 as was under the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
He said the government will do assessment to reduce the SHIF charges for low income earners who could not afford Sh300 “so that many people can pay.”
He said the government will cater for health insurance for those unable to pay Sh300, “so that every Kenyan can go to hospital and get treatment without paying anything.”
President Ruto also vouched for SHIF during his visit to Kandara, Maragwa, Kangema and Lari during his visit to Murang'a and Kiambu counties.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha who accompanied the President in Murang'a on Wednesday, had announced the government will start implementing SHIF from March 1.
She said the government was committed to ensuring all Kenyans access affordable health care.
The government intends to collect Sh57 billion annually from the mandatory contributions to SHIF by Kenyans working in the informal sector.
The rollout of the SHIF was stopped by the High Court last November following a petition by businessman Joseph Enock Aura, challenging sections of the scheme.
However, a three-judge bench lifted the ban, saying the suspension posed a "real and present danger to the health rights of countless citizens who are not parties to the litigation".
The court also suspended sections requiring mandatory registration to the scheme.
All workers are expected to contribute 2.75% of their salaries towards the new health fund.
Critics of the new health plan say the 2.75% deduction is a huge increase on what they paid to the NHIF, coming on top of the recent rise in fuel prices and living costs.
But President Ruto insists Kenyans will now access quality healthcare in an efficient, affordable and non-discriminatory manner.
The Social Health Insurance Act repeals the current National Health Insurance Fund and establishes three new funds.
They are the Primary Healthcare Fund, the Social Health Insurance Fund, and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund.
