Plan on to spread NHIF net wider
What you need to know:
- Currently, contributions are only compulsory for those in formal employment with voluntary membership for retirees and those in informal sector.
- Enrolling the cash transfer beneficiaries into the NHIF will give the government’s recruitment campaign a much needed shot in the arm.
- In the last one year, the government spent Sh12 billion to pay out stipend to elderly above 65 years with between 700 and 1,000 people in each constituency benefiting.
Contributions to the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) will soon be compulsory for all Kenyans as part of a government plan to enrol 25 million contributors by 2017, Deputy President William Ruto has said.
Mr Ruto said the one million beneficiaries of the government’s cash transfer stipend for the elderly will also make compulsory contributions to the NHIF, with plans underway to increase the monthly stipend from Sh2,000 to Sh5,000.
Currently, contributions are only compulsory for those in formal employment with voluntary membership for retirees and those in informal sector.
“The NHIF is an important tool which we hope make a compulsory facility soon” Mr Ruto noted.
He said the government is currently working with MPs and county governments to have part of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) used to pay NHIF contributions for the elderly and vulnerable Kenyans.
“We want to do a thorough campaign using county governments and MPs to have a section of the CDF money used to pay NHIF contributions for vulnerable citizens,” Mr Ruto said in interview with the Saturday Nation in Eldoret on Thursday.
HELPING KENYANS
“NHIF has been crucial in helping Kenyans access universal healthcare and enabling the government improve the health infrastructure,” he said.
“This year, 3.7 million Kenyans made contributions and we believe in the next three years, we should be able to have at least 25 million contributing to the NHIF.”
“This will raise resources for the expansion of facilities at the dispensary, health centre and district levels to support our endeavour of access to healthcare which is still quite a challenge to many people,” he added.
Enrolling the cash transfer beneficiaries into the NHIF will give the government’s recruitment campaign a much needed shot in the arm.
“We’ve one million beneficiaries of cash transfer program. With this campaign, we can move to 4.7 million contributors just using the cash transfer contributions,” he said.
“Putting the beneficiaries on NHIF will ensure apart from having money to buy food, their health is also taken care of,” he added.
In the last one year, the government spent Sh12 billion to pay out stipend to elderly above 65 years with between 700 and 1,000 people in each constituency benefiting.
