Africa-Press – Kenya. Paid members of the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) are up in arms as a section of local hospitals are turning them away hence denying them access to medical services.
According to a report by Nation, the hospitals allege that NHIF has not yet made payments, hence inhibiting them from offering the required services.
The patients are told that the earliest they could access medical services is Thursday, July 1.
“I am a paid member, why on earth would they dictate at what point I get the services? What happens if one does not have another medical insurance cover?” one patient who recently visited a local hospital situated at the outskirts of Nairobi was quoted by Nation.
Another patient intimated that she was informed by a hospital that she could only use the card for in-patient services.
“I have arthritis and because of the cold weather, I experience pain and just going for a check-up, I cannot use my NHIF card,” she stated.
NHIF CEO Peter Kamunyo, while addressing these pertinent issues, condemned such hospitals for turning away patients.
Further, he disputed any claims of services being suspended until Thursday, July 1.
“We have not released any circular that hospitals should suspend services until July 1, this is strange and we are going to investigate,” he affirmed.
He emphasized that all paid members ought to get the required services at the accredited hospitals.
The news comes as Kamunyo had urged Kenyans to register with the national insurer in order for the government to actualize the Universal Health Care (UHC)- one of the big four agendas instituted by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“In social health insurance, everyone needs to be on board. When we have a scenario whereby people only pay when they have a need, this makes the fund unsustainable,” he stated.
