Sh6bn teachers’ medical cover to begin on July 1
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers Nakuru County executive members led by their Secretary Gakau Mbugua (centre) sing union slogans after addressing journalists in Nakuru on May 20, 2015. The group said its members were opposed to the new Teachers Service Commission-AoN Minet medical scheme as it was expensive compared to the National Hospital Insurance Fund. FILE PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH |
What you need to know:
- But they will lose the medical allowance that has been included in their pay.
- AoN and commission sign agreement that will see teachers get in-patient cover of between Sh1 million and Sh300,000.
More than 288,060 teachers will begin benefitting July 1 from a Sh6 billion comprehensive medical insurance cover.
On Friday, AoN Kenya Insurance Brokers and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) signed an agreement that will see the highest-paid teacher get an in-patient cover of up to Sh1 million and the lowest- paid teacher get Sh300,000.
However, from July 1, the teachers will lose the medical allowance that has been included in their pay in order to facilitate the implementation of the scheme.
All teachers were eligible for a monthly medical allowance of between Sh767 and Sh4,412 depending on their job group.
Under the new scheme, a teacher and four beneficiaries will be entitled to an in-patient, out-patient, maternity and dental cover.
TSC chief executive Gabriel Lengoiboni confirmed the genereous scheme will take effect July 1.
The scheme that had been delayed for a long period was signed after AoN presented to TSC the names of hospitals teachers can access.
Early this year, the contract for the scheme was cancelled, but the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board overruled the TSC board on the cancellation.
Last week, the National Treasury gave TSC the go-ahead to contribute Sh500 million monthly to support the scheme.
In the Sh181 billion budget for the teacher’s employer, the government did not allocate the commission cash to support the medical scheme but instead advised it to use the medical allowance to actualise it.
The rolling out of the scheme sets in motion another battle with teachers still opposed to the new National Health Insurance Fund rates.
“We had expected the TSC to allow for more talks with the NHIF so that teachers are able to decide on which scheme they should adopt,” said Kuppet chairman Omboko Milemba.
TWO SCHEMES
He said teachers are worried since what they are getting from AoN is what NHIF is now offering, adding that teachers should be allowed to decide on which cover to take.
The out-patient benefits will commence on July 1 although deductions began in April.
Kenya National Union of Teachers chairman Mudzo Nzili called on members to support the medical scheme TSC has secured but urged the government to halt the NHIF scheme immediately.
“We expect AoN to stick to the terms of the contract and ensure that the health providers identified treat teachers well,” Mr Nzili told Sunday Nation by telephone.
He insisted that NHIF charges should be put on hold until sufficient consultation is carried out and the rates reviewed.
“You cannot make deductions based on gross salary. It is normally done on basic pay, and again teachers are not sure how this NHIF money will be used, and that is why we cannot be part and parcel of this scheme,” he said.
