• Dec 26th '22

The Price of Health and NHIF INSURANCE

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In Kenya, health care is a necessity that often comes at a high cost. For many citizens, the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) is a way to help offset these costs. However, NHIF has its challenges, and many questions its usefulness. Although it is meant to provide quality health care for all Kenyan citizens, the reality is that the quality of care varies greatly between public and private hospitals. In addition, the high cost of health care means that many citizens can still not access the care they need. As a result, the role of NHIF in improving health outcomes is still limited.

The high cost of health care in Kenya is a significant barrier to access for many citizens. For those who can access care, the quality of care can vary greatly depending on whether they go to a public or private hospital.

A single mother of two, was struggling to make ends meet. She had just lost her job and was struggling to find a way to pay her rent and buy groceries. As a result, she was unable to afford health care when her daughter, Rachel, came down with a severe case of the flu. She had heard about NHIF insurance, but was uncertain of how it worked and whether it would be enough to cover the cost of her daughter’s treatment.

Desperate for help, she decided to take a chance and visit her local NHIF office to inquire about the insurance. She was pleasantly surprised to find out that NHIF offered a wide range of services and benefits, including coverage for outpatient and inpatient care, vaccinations, and medical supplies. She quickly realised that this was the perfect solution for her family’s needs and signed up for the insurance.

With her NHIF insurance, she was able to take her daughter to the hospital for treatment and receive the necessary medication without worrying about the cost. She was relieved to know that NHIF would cover the majority of her daughter’s medical expenses and that she wouldn’t have to face financial hardship due to her daughter’s illness.

However, she got disappointed when she realised that the quality of the healthcare, she got from the public hospital wasn’t as good as the care she would have received from a private hospital. The public hospital lacked the latest medical equipment and the staff was not as well trained as she would have liked. The condition of her daughter worsened due to the low-level care and her daughter ended up being hospitalised for longer than she should have been.

This issue has also been addressed in social media, primarily Twitter. One user says, "It’s not a secret that our medical services especially in our public hospital the speed at which they attend to the patients ☹️😞 Now this is one case maybe because it's professor Ken how many unpopular poor Kenyan perish because of negligence. Just last week I was their wah" . This comment reflects the general sentiment among many Kenyans who have had to go to public hospitals. Another user says, " The only people who bear the agony of poor services at our public hospitals are patients and relatives. Can't imagine how long one queues to pay at KNH; there are many cashier points but not working! Wish we can answer the question on how we can serve Kenyans better." These tweets highlight the frustration many Kenyans feel about the state of health care in the country.

A recent study found that the quality of health care in Kenya varies significantly between public and private hospitals. In addition, the high cost of health care means that many citizens can still not access the care they need. Consequently, NHIF's impact on bettering health outcomes is restricted.

An older man who has been experiencing diabetes for a long time narrates his story. “I am an old man and have been suffering from diabetes for a long time. I have been going to the hospital for treatment, but the cost of treatment is very high. I have been trying to get help from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), but the process is prolonged.

I have been waiting for months but have yet to receive any help. The quality of care in private hospitals is outstanding but costly. I cannot afford to go to a private hospital. I have no choice but to go to a public hospital. The quality of care in public hospitals is inferior. I have to wait for a long time to see a doctor. The doctors are very busy, and they do not have time to listen to my problems. I am very frustrated with the situation. I do not know what to do. I wish to be registered on KNIF so that he can get treatment, but the process is taking too long.``

One person tweeted, "Mr President NHIF was a brilliant idea but it has failed miserably with receptionist becoming millionaires in 4 years and still working and living lavish lifestyle while poor Kenyans struggle even to bury the dead due to high bills. I recommend you good work Sir." Another person also tweeted, " Government urged to ease the processing of NHIF cards: Long queues and high cost of treatment not only adds agony but also put at risk thousands of lives of cancer patients in Kenya who struggle to get." These tweets show that the quality of health care in Kenya could be better and that getting help from NHIF could be faster.

Kenya has seen a rise in the number of private-based health insurance programs in past few years. These schemes are often more expensive than NHIF and cover a broader range of services. A good example is the MiCover which covers inpatient and outpatient care, maternity, and funeral expenses. For many Kenyans, the question is whether to pay for private health insurance or to join NHIF. These premium insurance schemes are often more expensive than NHIF, but they cover a more comprehensive range of services. One tweeted, "MiCover covers you for several healthcare expenses at a very affordable premium." A recent survey found that the cost of health care in Kenya is among the highest in the world. For many citizens, the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) is a way to help in minimising these healthcare expenses. Nevertheless, many individuals would still prefer other health insurance companies over NHIF.

This has been seen over the social media platforms where users have taken to air their grievances. The general consensus is that NHIF offers poor services and is often inefficient. One user tweeted, " I went to a private hospital and the only medication I could get is the ones below 500/- yet I pay every month over 1000+, tell me @nhifkenya where do my contribution go? You only favor civil servants, NHIF is a big scam." These sentiments were echoed by many other users who highlighted the need for better options when it comes to health insurance. It is clear that NHIF has not been meeting Kenyan citizens' needs, which is reflected in the negative feedback on social media. One of the patients, who is being treated in a private hospital, said, “My view: Shut down the voluntary scheme; provide ALL poor and poor government (tax) funded NHIF cover with equal benefits to the formal contributors and ‘urge’ the informal non-poor to pay premiums. This voluntary scheme is a moral hazard, unsustainable sham !!." These stories highlight that although NHIF is meant to improve health outcomes for all Kenyan citizens, the reality is that the quality of care varies greatly between public and private hospitals.