The Ministry of Health(MoH) has clarified the differences between the medical cover issued to public servants and the Social Health Authority (SHA) scheme offered to public servants.
According to the Ministry, the transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to SHA raised questions about how medical coverage for public servants was structured and brought confusion among them.
Explaining the distinction between the Medical Administrators Kenya Limited (MAKL) and SHA, the ministry revealed that MAKL is a private medical insurance administrator that primarily manages healthcare schemes for specific public sector groups.
According to MoH, MAKL acts as an intermediary, administering health insurance services on behalf of insurers contracted by the public servants.
The scheme covers healthcare costs based on negotiated agreements between the employer and the insurance provider. They have varying benefit packages depending on the contractual terms.
This means that the medical benefits for these groups are structured differently from the public officers covered under SHA.
The Ministry explained that while MALK is an employer-based medical insurance, SHA is the national health insurance provider under Universal Health Care (UHC) offering services to all Kenyans and public servants.
"The major distinction is that MAKL functions as a private third-party administrator, managing employer-sponsored health insurance schemes for specific sectors, whereas SHA is a public institution offering standardized health benefits for all public officers not covered under separate employer-administered schemes, as well as the general public not in formal employment," read the clarification statement by the ministry.
The ministry explained that both MAKL and SHA serve public servants.
"While both MAKL and SHA serve public servants, MAKL is an employer-specific medical scheme administrator, while SHA is the national health insurance provider under UHC," the statement continued.
The ministry revealed that SHA ensures that Kenyans receive uniform, high-quality healthcare services nationwide, reinforcing the government’s commitment to expanding access to healthcare under Taifa Care.
Despite the numerous challenges faced by SHA, the ministry has assured Kenyans and public servants that it is committed to delivering equitable and efficient health services.
