The Cabinet has approved the proposal to scrap the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and create three separate funds.
The three new funds include the Primary Healthcare Fund, Social Health Insurance Fund, and Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund.
In a meeting that was held at Kakamega State Lounge, the Cabinet noted that the splitting of NHIF will improve access to healthcare.
In a statement, the Cabinet stated that the new development is part of the broader plan by President William Ruto's government to attain Kenya's Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
"This usher in a paradigm in the legal and institutional framework for healthcare in Kenya by repealing the current National Health Insurance Fund and establishing in its place the following funds Primary Healthcare Fund; Social Health Insurance Fund; and Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund," Cabinet said in a statement.
Four Bills have been forwarded to parliament to operationalise Universal Health Coverage, a move that is likely to attract heated debate.
The Bills include The Primary Health Care Bill, 2023, The Digital Health Bill, 2023, The Facility Improvement Financing Bill, 2023 and The Social Health Insurance Bill, 2023.
The Primary Health Care Bill, 2023 seeks to provide a legal framework for the provision of primary health care in Kenya.
In the Bill, primary health care is defined as the essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that the community and the country can afford.
Primary Health Care promotes and protect the health of all Kenyans while focusing of prevention of diseases and promotion of healthy lifestyles.
Primary Health Care also provides a timely and affordable health care to all Kenyans while reducing inequalities in health services.
At the same time, the Digital Health Bill, 2023, seeks to provide a legal framework for the use of digital health technologies in the country.
Digital Health Bill, 2023, ensure that health workers are equiped with the latest technologies that use information and communication technologies to provide health care services, such as electronic health records, telemedicine, and mobile health.
