NHIF is Kenya's mandatory public health insurance scheme. Employed workers contribute a statutory monthly amount deducted from salary; employers remit it to NHIF. It covers inpatient and outpatient treatment at accredited facilities.
The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) is established under the National Hospital Insurance Fund Act (Cap 255). Every employee earning KES 1,000 or more per month must contribute to NHIF; the amount is income-graduated and deducted from gross pay. Employers who fail to remit NHIF contributions within 9 days of the end of each month commit an offence and face penalties. NHIF covers inpatient care (hospitalisation costs) at accredited public and private hospitals, and increasingly outpatient care under its enhanced packages. Beneficiaries include the contributor, a spouse, and children under 18 (or 25 if in full-time education). Contributors can access benefits from the second month of registration. If an employer deducts NHIF from your salary but does not remit it to NHIF, you remain liable for missed contributions. You can verify your contributions via the NHIF self-service portal or a branch. Unremitted contributions can be reported to NHIF for enforcement action against the employer.
A Nairobi factory worker checks her payslip and sees NHIF is deducted but her NHIF card is blocked because her employer has not remitted the funds. She reports the employer to the NHIF enforcement team, which can pursue criminal charges.
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