From this Sunday, 17 March, at least 400 private hospitals in rural areas are set to start rejecting patients using NHIF as medical cover over KSh. 6B owed to them by the Government, a debt they say has crippled their operations.
According to the Rural Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA-KE), NHIF owes them KSh. 2.3B for general claims, KSh. 2B for the Linda Mama Program and another KSh. 1.8B for outpatient claims.
The association says NHIF has not been remitting funds to the aforelisted hospitals until this March when a sum of KSh. 56M was released to pay facilities that had pending capitation for the January – March quarter.
This notice comes just hours to the countrywide doctors’ strike beginning tomorrow (13 March), which could further paralyze health services in the country. KMPDU members cite unresolved grievances and the absence of constructive dialogue with the Government.
