NHIF Contribution No longer Mandatory For Unemployed Citizens
Health Committee of the Senate has proposed new changes to the NHIF health cover which will see that all unemployed will no longer be forced to contribute thus reversing earlier changes.
There was a proposal earlier by the national hospital insurance fund that was saying that all adults whether employed or not must contribute to the cover or the fund.
The Senate committee in charge of health, however, wants the NHIF contribution proposal to be reversed. If the amendment is passed then it will be a relief to all unemployed Kenyans.
The national hospital insurance fund had made the proposal that the fund be made mandatory and also for employers to top up contributions being made by their employees that are less than five hundred shillings.
If the proposal is passed it will also force the accounting officers at the NHIF Offices to account for the money that is remitted as a penalty for late payments by the members to the fund. Therefore, they will be held responsible.
Also, the Senate committee has proposed another amendment that will ensure that both governments will be made liable to a penalty for charges imposed on an employee for late payments of the amount to be contributed to the Fund.
The amendment Bill was forwarded to the Senate by the National Assembly after debating on the Bill in September this year. The Senate forwarded the Bill to the health committee for the participation of the public.
The senators also propose that the number of representatives from the CoG is to be increased to two in the National Hospital Insurance Fund Board. Currently, there is only one representative from the Council of Governors at the board.
Additionally, besides increasing the number of representatives from CoG, the senators want a representative from the Kenya Medical Association to be included in the NHIF board.
