National Health Insurance Fund (Kenya)

Last updated
National Health Insurance Fund
Industry Insurance
Founded1966
Headquarters Nairobi, Kenya
Key people
Products Health insurance
Website www.nhif.or.ke

The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) is a Kenya government state corporation with a mandate to provide health insurance to Kenyans. [2] The core business and mandate for NHIF is to provide accessible, affordable, sustainable and quality health insurance for all Kenyan citizens. The National Hospital Insurance Fund has published new NHIF rates which took effect on April 1, 2015. Citizens can check their National Hospital Insurance Fund's status by using the following methods; NHIF's official website, My NHIF App, via SMS, and USSD code. [3]

Contents

History

The National Hospital Insurance Fund was established in 1967 as a department within the ministry of health, by an Act of parliament. This has been reviewed over the years and it is now governed by ACT NO. 9 of 1998 - National Hospital Insurance Fund Act. [4] The Act was amended in 2022 to become the National Health Insurance Fund Act, and the name of the corporation was changed to National Health Insurance Fund.

The core business and mandate for NHIF is to provide accessible, affordable, sustainable and quality health insurance for all Kenyan citizens. The NHIF has published new NHIF rates which took effect on April 1, 2015.

Scandals

NHIF Ambulance Scandal

In 2001 a scandal relating to irregularities in purchase of ambulances for the NHIF resulted in the sacking of the Minister for Medical Services Amukowa Anangwe. [5]

Euro Bank Scandal

The NHIF is estimated to have lost 479m shillings in the collapse of Euro Bank after the bank collapsed with deposits from state corporations. [6]

Civil Servants Scheme Scandal

In early 2012, the NHIF was embroiled in a controversy surrounding revelations on the Kenya Civil Servants Health Care Scheme. [7]

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References

  1. iThemesLab. "NHIF Management Structure". Nhif.or.ke. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  2. iThemesLab. "National Hospital Insurance Fund". NHIF. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  3. "How to check your NHIF status with all methods". A3Techworld. 2023-08-15. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  4. "National Hospital Insurance Fund Act" (PDF). Government of Kenya. 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  5. Ndichu, Lucy (31 December 2001). "Kenya: The Ambulance Saga That Cost Minister His Job". allafrica.com. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  6. "Business | Kenyan tax chief resigns". BBC News. 2003-03-03. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  7. "Fresh scandals unearthed in health scheme - Daily Nation". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2013-01-01.