The Senate has summoned the insurer’s top management.
While seeking a statement on the floor, Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala claimed that NHIF has declined to cover hotel and restaurant staff undergoing mandatory testing.
“They should state the reasons why the insurer is not covering the costs,” Malala said.
The mandatory testing was a condition by the Ministry of Health for all the hoteliers in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.
The government had initially capped the testing cost per person at Sh4,000 but slashed the figure to Sh1,000 following complaints by the hoteliers.
Tourism CS Najib Balala had said that the move to reduce the testing cost was aimed at cushioning the hospitality industry that had been hit hard by the virus.
His Health counterpart Mutahi Kagwe had initially said restaurant and hotel owners would pay between Sh2,000 and Sh4,000 per staffer.
In the Senate, Malala, who is also the Deputy Minority leader, wants the management of the insurer to expound on what it needed to start covering the costs.
“One of the NHIF’s features states that it has no exclusions for all medial conditions except cosmetic procedures,” Malala said.
While contributing to the statement, nominated Senator Petronilla Were questioned why the insurer was not covering testing charges yet it had formed a task force to implement reforms to deal with Universal Health Coverage.
“The UHC has never been as important as it is now during the Covid-19 pandemic. That report [produced by the task-force] has already been released and submitted should be used by the NHIF in the implementation of reforms,” she said.
Migori Senator Ochillo Ayacko said that because NHIF covers the majority of Kenyans, reports that it is facing financial troubles could be the reason behind failure to cover Covid-19 testing costs, and urged the House to probe its financial soundness.
“It is no longer a rumour. It is known largely to many people that NHIF could be in financial trouble,” he said.
“Everybody needs assurance that they will get treated and the NHIF will cover the cost of that treatment. That should be part of the report that we are awaiting.”
Bungoma’s Moses Wetang’ula said by not covering the testing costs the government was punishing the already impoverished and suffering staff members of hotels, restaurants and tourism establishments.
Deputy speaker Margaret Kamar directed the House ad hoc committee on Covid-19 to summon NHIF management to explain the concern.