Civil servants under the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) scheme and their dependents have been advised to avoid visiting high-cost hospitals for minor ailments to guard against depleting their annual fund allocation and suffer when major illnesses strike.
Speaking to civil servants and employees of the National Youth Service (NYS) during a sensitization forum held at Horizon Resort in Kapenguria, NHIF Case Management Officer, Janet Rotich, said some members opt to visit high-cost health facilities for primary healthcare conditions hence depleting their limits for the outpatient cover long before the year ends.
“You can visit government healthcare facilities or low cost private health facilities that have been accredited when seeking treatment for simple diseases. We have some members who opt for high-cost facilities even when they are suffering from primary health conditions,” noted Ms. Rotich.
She however explained that NHIF provides for additional allocation on application in case a member’s outpatient limit depletes and the case is dire.
The multi-sectoral team is on a mission for awareness creation, sensitisation on group life insurance, last expense, work injury benefits and group personal accident insurance covers for civil servants and employees of the National Youth Service.
They asked the NHIF members not to shy away from claiming for compensation whenever they suffer from work related injuries as per the Work Injury Benefits Act (WIBA) 2007.
Ms. Rotich urged civil servants and all NHIF members to continuously update their next-of-kin records to avoid exposing their family members and dependents to untold suffering when they die.
By Richard Muhambe
