The Ministry of Health has reported that over 12.7 million Kenyans have registered for the newly established Social Health Authority (SHA), including verified members who have transitioned from the former National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
In a statement on Sunday, Health Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai highlighted that this marks the sixth day since SHA’s rollout on October 1, 2024. He noted that 10,904 end users have been trained, enrolled, and issued their credentials.
Kimtai encouraged Kenyans to register and include their dependents to ensure they can access comprehensive healthcare services.
“Registration is a continuous process and is ongoing through the USSD code *147# or via our web-based portals at www.sha.go.ke and www.afyayangu.go.ke.
We’ve observed that many beneficiaries are registering but not adding their dependents,” he stated.
He further explained that all registered SHA beneficiaries are entitled to free primary healthcare services through the Primary Healthcare Fund at Level 2 dispensaries, Level 3 health centers, and select Level 4 health facilities, as well as emergency services at all health facilities.
According to the PS, all public hospitals from Level 2 to 6 have been contracted to provide services to SHA beneficiaries. Additionally, 1,442 faith-based health facilities have signed contracts and are now offering services.
The PS mentioned that a comprehensive list of all contracted health facilities is available on the SHA web portal, organized for easy access.
This list includes government, private, and faith-based facilities, as well as those offering specialized cancer and renal care.
Kimtai also addressed challenges with the SHA electronic claims system, noting that issues related to member verification and claims processing on the e-claims portal have been resolved.
He confirmed that the Health Insurance Claims System (HICS), previously operated under the NHIF, continues to function for member verification and claims management for patients admitted before October 1, 2024.
A joint committee will be formed with health providers to verify all outstanding bills from the NHIF, with a commitment from the Ministry to prioritize these during the transition to SHA.
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