The government issued a public notice on the National Health Insurance Fund’s (NHIF) digital transformation exercise. The health fund has embarked on mass biometric registration of subscribers, both new and current.
In addition to this, the NHIF has procured the Electronic Claims Management System (E-Claim) for all hospitals it has contracted. This is part of the corporation’s greater plan to integrate and smoothen healthcare services.
The corporation is undergoing digital renewal. This transformation is parallel to the requirements of the Universal Health Care (UHC) framework. This plan is mainly meant to cushion Kenyans from any financial hardship that may hinder their access to quality health care.
Uhuru’s administration made a commitment to achieve universal health care by the year 2022. Besides this need, the country's strong political commitment to the program is embodied in the government's Big 4 agenda which includes healthcare for all as one of the key development priorities.
The Universal Health Coverage index for Kenya was 52 percent in 2014 when Kenya was first admitted to the scheme. The Global Burden of Disease estimates that by 2030, Kenya will have an index of 60 percent. The strategy is founded on three core bottom lines namely: service delivery, health financing and governance.
Initially, Kenyans would get NHIF services only upon verification by their NHIF cards and National Identification cards. To complement this system, the biometric mode of identification will be inculcated.
The registration process is as follows:
1. Visit the Nearest NHIF Branch
One will be expected to produce a means of identification. An NHIF card or a national ID should serve the purpose of confirming one’s details in the database.
2. During Treatment
Policyholders can also register in NHIF accredited medical institutions whenever they seek treatment.
3.Verification
Fingerprint details of members will be captured and kept in the database. New persons registering with NHIF for the first time will also receive biometric credentials as well as identification numbers.
Once registered, members can then receive treatment at any NHIF approved medical institution. Fingerprints will be used for admission and treatment.
In the announcement, the government clarified that there would be no deadline for the exercise. However, healthcare providers were made aware of an imminent deadline to register for the E-claim connectivity; July 11, 2021.
The digitization process is aimed at mitigating pilferage of resources and fraud in order bid to improve service delivery to all Kenyans.
