Surgeries Now Covered By NHIF

The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) will effective 1st October 2016 include cover for surgical procedures at all NHIF accredited Level 3 and above facilities countrywide. The NHIF Chief Executive Officer, Geoffrey Mwangi in an interview with the BusinessDailyaily newspaper, announced this. This will be available in over 4,000 low-end facilities and 2,000 high-end facilities.

Minor surgical procedures done in health centres will be covered up to KSh 40,000 while major and specialised surgeries done in level three, four and five hospitals will be covered to much higher limits of between KSh 80,000 and KSh 500,000.

The surgical benefit comes as the latest of new and improved benefits of the national medical scheme unveiled in 2016 which include cover for specialist treatment overseas, specialised lab test, chronic diseases, cancer treatment (oncology) and radiology (diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries using medical imaging techniques) in addition to drug and substance abuse, kidney transplant and renal dialysis package.

The new benefits follow a sharp increase in the monthly contributions Kenyans contribute for NHIF, rising from KSh 320 per month to 1,700 for the higher income earners earning over KSh 100,000 monthly, using the KRA paye calculator.

Kenyans can now enjoy comprehensive cover for medical bills, for both inpatient and outpatient conditions of all severity thanks to this newly surgical benefit. Local private medical insurance and international medical insurance plans also exist, giving much higher limits of cover of up to KSh 100 million. Kenya is now one step closer to other leading global economies like the UK which has the world famous National Health Service (NHS), providing citizens with great health care.