Kenyans can register an unlimited number of dependents per household for the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), the government confirmed.
In a fact sheet provided by the Social Health Authority, the government stated that one can register all their dependents without limit provided that they provide for them financially.
“There’s no limit to how many children you can include as long as you take care of them financially,” read the statement.
Additionally, polygamous families will not be required to make an extra contribution for each wife as had been earlier speculated.
Within the new SHA conditions, a cover for each household will cater for all the spouses and their dependents through the 2.75 per cent contribution of a household member
However, this cover will be issued on under specicic condiitions incluidng the provision that the total income of all the spouses is provided to allow the determination of the premium to be paid.
“The SHI Act provides for more than one spouse provided that the total income of all the spouses and members is captured for purposes of premium determination,” stated the SHA.
Individuals can register their dependents during the initial round of registration on the Authority’s website and USSD code provided by the government.
Further, the Authority provides that once a baby is born to a household, the parents will be required to declare the same to the authority within 14 days.
“If you have a baby after signing up you just need to let SHA know within 14 days of the birth and they will be covered too,” stated SHA.
These new regulations come after the new Authority came under fire for declaring that polygamous families may have to part with contributions for each of thee spouse’s households.
The earlier directive was further questioned by Members of Parliament who stated that under those regulations the government would be mandating citizens to part with more than 2.5 per cent of their income .
