NHIF to insure Covid-19 patients admitted at KU, KNH, Mbagathi hospitals

The National Hospital Insurance Fund CEO Peter Kamunyo has on Tuesday said that NHIF will cover the expenses of all Covid-19 patients admitted in the Ministry of Health designated hospitals.

Some of those designated hospitals include Kenyatta National Teaching Referral Hospital, Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital and Mbagathi County Hospital.

Others are the county designated facilities and any other facility that is designated by the Ministry of Health.

“The health and wellness of our members, is of utmost importance to us, and in support to the Government’s efforts in mitigating and containing the spread of Covid-19, we shall support all Covid -19 positive members and their declared beneficiaries who get admitted to the Ministry of Health designated facilities,” the NHIF CEO said in a statement.

Mr Kamunyo further said that NHIF will not cater for Covid-19 expenses incurred in hospitals that are not designated by the Ministry of Health.

Most insurance companies do not cover epidemics and pandemics. But in March this year, insurance companies agreed to cover Covid-19.

“Following engagement with the insurance companies, Commissioner of Insurance Godfrey Kiptum would like to assure the public that the insurers will continue to provide their services to policyholders affected or infected with the virus,” the Insurance Regulatory Authority posted on Twitter.

However, Covid-19 patients have been given a cold shoulder by their insurance providers and forced to pay hefty bills even in government hospitals. Similarly, Covid-19 patients in government quarantine facilities are still being told to pay for their stay even after the government declared them free of charge on May 6, 2020. For example patients admitted at KU hospital have to pay a fee of Ksh3,135 daily for a bed.

So far, Kenya has recorded 17,975 Covid-19 cases and 280 people have succumbed to the disease.