Kenyans will be mandated to furnish their Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) during the compulsory registration process for the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
As outlined in the draft Social Health Insurance (General) Regulations, 2024, published by Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha on Wednesday, February 21, the inclusion of PINs alongside mobile phone numbers was emphasised as a requirement.
Further, Kenyans will have to specify their employment status, with the government offering four options: employed, self-employed, sponsored, and organized group.
Moreover, during the registration process, Kenyans will need to provide details regarding their marital status and physical location, including county, sub-county, ward, and postal address.
According to the regulations, registration will carried out across the country within 90 days after the regulations are passed.
"The application shall be made in Form 1 set out in the First Schedule to these Regulations and shall be accompanied by a copy of the national identification document of the applicant or in the case of a person without a national identification document, any other document as may be approved by the Authority.
"The Authority shall, upon successful registration, notify the applicant of the registration within fourteen days from the date of the registration. A beneficiary shall provide his or her biometric data at a designated service point," read the regulations in part.
On the other hand, the regulations provide for the government to conduct mobile registration for the sick, persons with disability, the elderly, persons under lawful custody, the marginalised communities.
Change Effected in New Regulations
Following the analysis of the regulations before and after the public participation, which was undertaken in the last few weeks, Kenyans.co.ke observed that the government deleted the clause which required Kenyans to show proof of registration before accessing government services.
In the former 2023 regulations, Kenyans without insurance coverage would have been denied key government services, including access to student loans, acquisition of identification documents, and registration of marriages, among others.
Meanwhile, the CS has invited Kenyans to take part in the national validation of the draft Regulations on Monday, February 26 at KICC.
Reports indicate that the regulations, which propose a 2.75 per cent deduction on salaries and income, could come into effect as early as March 1.
