Civil servants denounce new medical plan
The Secretary General of Union of Kenya Civil Servants Mr Tom Odege. The union has questioned the rationale behind the establishment of a new treatment model for their members. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- They decision to come up with the model was made unilaterally by the National Hospital Insurance Fund and demanded its revocation.
They said if the model is fully implemented, members would find it difficult to meet the cost of various medical procedures when they seek treatment.
Union of Kenya Civil Servants Tuesday questioned the rationale behind the establishment of a new treatment model for their members, claiming it was adopted without their consent.
The union’s secretary-general Tom Odege said the model, known as Free for Fixed Service, would subject them to untold suffering as it would introduce limits as low as Sh1,500 per day for scheme members.
He said the decision to come up with the model was made unilaterally by the National Hospital Insurance Fund and demanded its revocation.
“In total contravention of the provisions of the contract, the NHIF in September 2017 introduced a strange and unfamiliar model referred to as Fixed Fee for Service. This was purportedly meant to be superior to the capitation method and would address portability of service for officers in Jobs Group A to K,” said Mr Odege in a statement.
“This was a unilateral decision by the NHIF management without involving the ministry or consulting scheme members through the union. We vehemently rejected the model for it was subjecting our members to untold suffering,” Mr Odege said.
He claimed that if the model is fully implemented, members would find it difficult to meet the cost of various medical procedures when they seek treatment.
BEGGARS
Mr Odege demanded the release of their money from the National Health Insurance Fund Comprehensive Medical Cover back to the Civil Servants kitty.
The official said there should be clear segregation between the civil servants’ scheme and others managed by NHIF should they continue to be members of the Fund.
Mr Ole Kina Jerry, deputy secretary-general of the Union of Kenya Civil Servants, asked why the fund kept reducing limits.
“To-date, and in contrast to the provisions of the contract, members are today being forced to either pay for medical services or have been reduced to beggars,” Mr Kina said.
In response, acting chief executive officer Nicodemus Odongo said NHIF is administering the scheme as per the running contract between the Fund and Public Service ministry. “The ministry of Public Service chairs the committee that deals with any emerging issues for civil servants. As NHIF, we strive to offer quality services to our members,” Mr Odongo said.
