Garissa: Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has warned that the Social Health Authority (SHA) will not pay fictitious claims for services that Kenyans did not receive. Speaking in Garissa town during a graduation ceremony of madarasa Munawar on Sunday, where he was the chief guest, Duale dismissed claims that the government was dragging its feet in settling hospital bills, saying SHA was following the law by conducting forensic audits, clinical reviews, and verification of claims before releasing funds.
According to Kenya News Agency, Duale explained that hospitals claiming non-payment were largely those whose submissions were still under review. He pointed out that SHA has contracted over 10,272 public, private, and faith-based facilities across the country and has paid close to Sh13 billion for primary healthcare alone. The Cabinet Secretary further detailed that SHA has disbursed close to Sh75 billion under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), Sh3.5 billion under the Public Servants Medical Scheme, and about Sh1 billion for emergency, chronic, and critical illness funds.
Duale emphasized that this month alone, SHA has paid close to Sh6 billion. He noted that the law provides a 90-day window for payment after review, verification, and forensic audit, with payments being made on the 14th of every month. He assured that SHA has sufficient funds in its bank accounts but stressed that the authority would not compromise on accountability.
Furthermore, Duale warned health facilities against charging patients for services covered under SHA, urging Kenyans to report such practices for necessary action. He mentioned Bomet Health Centre as a starting point and announced the implementation of a charter in every hospital to ensure transparency.
In addition, Duale announced that from April 1, all security forces would be enrolled under the Public Servants Medical Scheme, managed by SHA. He highlighted the importance of providing quality healthcare to the National Police Service, emphasizing their challenging working conditions and the need for a robust healthcare delivery system for them and their dependents.
