Civil servants have found themselves in a difficult position after a statement from the Ministry of Public Service and Gender contradicted previous information provided by the NHIF.
The two conflicting statements addressed the medical insurance cover provided to civil servants, the police and prisons with the NHIF stating that the affected groups would not be covered past March 31, 2020. The Ministry, on the other hand, provided that the contract was to remain in force until June 30, 2020.
As reported by the Daily Nation on March 16, 2020, Nicodemus Odongo, the NHIF acting CEO had circulated a letter on February 26 making the pronouncement.
"This is to inform you that the fund will not be in a position to offer enhanced health insurance cover to National Police, Kenya Prisons, and Civil Servants when the current arrangement lapses on March 31, 2020," stated Odongo in the letter.
The directive was allegedly informed by the protracted haggling between the National Treasury and the Health Ministry on whether NHIF should be allowed to provide commercial insurance covers despite not being registered as a provider under the Insurance Regulatory Authority.
The termination was set to affect at least 52 institutions including state corporations, county governments and church groups.
The Ministry however contradicted this stance in a statement issued on Tuesday, March 17 in which it asked the public to disregard any other information on the issue stating that the cover would remain in force untill June 2020.
"The Ministry of Public Service...procured a Comprehensive Medical Scheme, Last Expense and Group Life Cover for Civil Servants administered by the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). The cover was for the period from 1st July 2019 to June 30, 2020," read part of the Ministry's statement.
Odongo's pronouncements had incited worry among policy holders as the prospect of being uninsured with the Covid-19 pandemic hang over their heads.
This was after the collective sigh of relief from Kenyan citizens after the Friday, March 13 confirmation by insurance firms that they would cover all policyholders affected by the new coronavirus.
Prior to this, the Association of Kenya Insurer (AKI) had informed the public that the classification of the disease as a pandemic indicated that patients would settle their own bills.
“If there was to be a major attack, then all insurance companies would close shop. The claims will wipe the insurers out completely. That is why such exclusions are put in insurance policies,” stated Tom Gichuhi, the AKI chief executive.
According to 2018 figures, NHIF had national coverage of about 25 million people giving it the largest market share in the medical insurance sector.
