The distinctions between the Social Health Authority (SHA) program and the medical coverage provided to public employees have been made clear by the Ministry of Health (MoH).
The Ministry claims that the switch from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to SHA caused uncertainty among public employees and sparked inquiries regarding the structure of medical coverage.
The ministry clarified the difference between SHA and Medical Administrators Kenya Limited (MAKL), stating that MAKL is a private medical insurance administrator that mostly oversees healthcare programs for particular public sector organizations.
The MoH claims that MAKL serves as a middleman, managing health insurance services for insurers that public employees have signed with.
According to agreed agreements between the insurance provider and the employer, the plan pays for medical expenses. Benefit packages differ based on the terms of the contract.
This indicates that these groups’ medical benefits are arranged differently than those of public officers covered under SHA.
The Ministry clarified that SHA is the national health insurance provider under Universal Health Care (UHC), providing services to all Kenyans and public employees, whereas MALK is an employer-based medical insurance.
According to the ministry, SHA and MAKL both work with public employees.
In keeping with the government’s pledge to increase access to healthcare under Taifa Care, the ministry disclosed that SHA guarantees that Kenyans receive consistent, high-quality healthcare services across the country.
The ministry has reassured Kenyans and public servants that it is dedicated to providing efficient and equitable health care, despite the many obstacles SHA faces.
