It has established health insurance as a conscious financial plan to prepare for health emergencies and issues, as they may arise. However, this definition is restricted to personal health insurance plans.
On a larger scale, a national health insurance fund is a fund set up with the goal of providing assistance and accessibility for healthcare in a country.
The government of a nation actively sets up and finances a fund that caters for its registered citizens’ health expenses to an extent, especially in the areas of emergencies.
This article talks about the Kenyan National Health Insurance Fund; and all you need to know about it.
What is the Kenyan National Health Insurance Fund?
The Kenyan National Health Insurance Fund, as mentioned earlier, is a financial plan set up by the Kenyan government to provide accessible healthcare to its citizens. It provides health care insurance to Kenyans that are above the age of 18. They set the fund up in 1966, with full establishment taking place in 1967
How does the Kenyan National Health Insurance Fund work?
First, it involves the Kenyan National Health Insurance Fund with providing care not just to inpatients alone, but outpatients, as it was generally structured to provide for both inpatients and outpatients.\
It provides health insurance for individuals in need, taking care of the expenses for health care in several situations.
Who is eligible for the Kenyan National Health Insurance Fund?
The national health insurance fund is for any Kenyan that is above the age of 18 years and earns a minimum of 1000KSE per month. For civil servants, enrolment and registration under the scheme are compulsory, as it automatically registers them under the fund.
Those in the private sector can be a part of the scheme, as it is a voluntary choice. All they need to do is register and complete the enrolment.
Members registered under the scheme contribute monthly towards the fund from their incomes.
What does the Kenyan National Health Insurance Fund cover?
The NHIF offers coverage on health expenses for patients that have to be admitted and those who just come in for consultations and checkups.
The scheme has over 8000 hospitals under it, both in the public and private sector. The services under the NHIF are
- Outpatients are eligible to receive the following benefits; consultation, lab tests, daycare benefits, access to drugs and dispensation, health education seminars, counselling services, and vaccinations.
- Dialysis, chemotherapy and radiology, surgeries, maternal and reproductive health care. It also includes treatment in foreign countries and rehab for abuse of drugs and other substances.
- They also consider the less privileged of the society. This is under the scheme with the aid of some special programs sponsored by the government such as;
- The Linda Mama Program: which offers all forms of maternity care for women and their unborn who have no insurance.
- Edu-Afya: which is a health insurance cover centred on secondary schools. It offers medical coverage for students in government secondary schools.
- Health Insurance Subsidy Program: this is a health insurance cover centred on any disadvantaged person in society. There is also an arm which focuses on the elderly and persons with disabilities.
CONCLUSION
The Kenyan National Health Insurance Fund helps bridge the gap between Kenyans and the quality health care access.
