Effective Wednesday 30 2023, NHIF recipients in rural areas will pay cash for them to receive hospital services. This comes as a directive from the Rural Private Hospital Association (RUPHA). Over 350 rural hospitals will be declining the NHIF card and demand cash payments.
NHIF failed to fulfil their duty to disburse funds to the hospitals registered under the institution. This means that those who received treatment under the NHIF cover were treated but the hospital has not received any payment. NHIF has not issued the April-June 2023 funds. This comes in direct violation of the agreement they entered between NHIF and RUPHA.
Harms of lack of disbursement to NHIF recipients
RUPHA comments that they have not disbursed any money despite the constant requests to them for payment. They however sent letters of reassurance of the payment to RUPHA. Rupha represents healthcare centres in 43 countries. This has led to the incapabilities of the hospitals to pay their workers and has led to laying off their workers.
“Hospitals have offered them “credit services”for 60 days now since March 31… our nurses, cleaners and clerks are without salaries for two months now,” read a post on Twitter
“As a result of the board’s failure to honour its financial commitments, the health facilities under the RUPHA are left with no choice but to issue an immediate notice that NHIF recipients will be required to make cash payments to access services,” said RUPHA chairman Brian Lishenga.
Within the agreement, the board was expected to disburse a capitation of Ksh. 1000 for a beneficiary each year during the first thirty days of the capitation period. The capitation fee is a payment fee given to a doctor determined by the number of people served.
In a Twitter post, Rupha notified NHIF that the patients using the NHIF card had depleted their credit limits with the hospitals and couldn’t pay using it. They were therefore forced to pay through cash payment.
Amid the tough economic situation of the country, will NHIF manage to disburse the funds anytime soon and save the NHIF recipients from paying cash in order to access services?
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