The Ministry of National Treasury & Economic Planning has published a draft bill titled the Public Finance Management (Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund) Regulations, 2024. This bill proposes a new health fund designed to support the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) benefits available to all civil servants.
If implemented, this new fund will replace the longstanding Comprehensive Medical Insurance Scheme for Civil Servants & Disciplined Services, which has served public servants since January 1, 2012, and will be renamed the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund.
Following the launch of the Social Health Authority (SHA) on October 1, 2024, the previous scheme was discontinued, leaving public officials to transition to a standardized level of care. Under the new scheme, all Kenyans, regardless of their contribution amount, have access to integrated preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative health services at levels 4, 5, and 6 health facilities.
“For civil servants to continue receiving this benefit from the Scheme as part of their remunerations, a Fund is proposed to enable civil servants first to receive the comprehensive range of quality health services from the Social Health Authority and, once this is exhausted, proceed with the limits provided for under the comprehensive medical insurance scheme for civil servants and disciplined services (renamed Public Officers Medical Scheme),” a section of the draft reads.
Under their previous medical cover, all civil servants and disciplined services members enjoyed a comprehensive Medical Insurance Scheme that covered the principal member and up to 6 dependants.
The benefits package included outpatient and inpatient services, specialized services, dental and optical care, annual medical checkups for the member and spouse, road ambulance services, emergency air rescue, overseas treatment, group life, and last expense cover.
According to the new bill, funds recovered from medical benefits will be directed to the newly established Fund supporting the Scheme. Civil servants and other participating public servants in the proposed Public Officers Medical Scheme will continue contributing to and benefiting from the Social Health Authority through payroll deductions.
“The State Department for Public Service has now proposed the establishment of a Fund to be called the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund, which will receive funds from the medical benefits recovered being part of public officers' contractual remunerations,” a section of the draft reads.
Currently, the bill has entered the public participation phase and the government has invited all Kenyans to participate in the exercise that will take place until November 18.
“The comments, inputs or memoranda thereof from the general public may be forwarded to the Principal Secretary, National Treasury, P. O. Box 30007-00100, Nairobi or hand-delivered to the Office of the Principal Secretary, National Treasury Building, Nairobi, or emailed to ps@treasury.go.ke and copied to jona.wala@treasury.go.ke to be received by18th November, 2024 at 5.00 p.m,” the invitation reads.
According to the invite, all the comments submitted should be in English. There will also be in-person public participation meetings and consultations at a later date.
Although SHA was put in place to medically cover all Kenyans and offer everyone the same quality of care regardless of their income, if this bill is passed, the public officials will enjoy extra benefits in addition to the benefits received as per their 2.75% on SHA.
In an interview on October 30, Harry Kimtai the PS for Medical Services advised Kenyans who needed extra care or felt their deductions were too high to acquire private insurance coverage stating, “You do not say that if you are paying more in terms of your income, you should get more benefits. It’s standard. If you like extra, you can pay for another cover like a private cover.”
