Gov't disburses Ksh.1.36 billion to settle pending SHA claims

The government has disbursed Ksh.1.36 billion towards settling pending claims by facilities under the new Social Health Authority (SHA).

SHA CEO Ingasira Robert on Friday announced that the amount represents more than 52 per cent of the total amount meant for October, where a total of 217,700 claims amounting to Ksh.2.6 billion were submitted.

“In line with its commitment to ensuring uninterrupted service delivery, SHA has successfully disbursed over Ksh.1.36 billion. The amount represents more than 52% of the total claims value for the month,” said Ingasira.

“In October, a total of 217,700 claims were submitted by 2,382 hospitals, amounting to Ksh.2.6 billion.”

Mr. Ingasira expressed the Authority’s commitment to ensuring a seamless delivery of medical services saying that the remaining 164,146 claims, valued at approximately Ksh.1.2 billion, are currently undergoing final verification.

He noted that so far 53,554 claims have been paid, benefiting 1,195 hospitals.

According to the SHA CEO, the verification process, which is essential for ensuring accuracy and transparency, involves a thorough review of each claim to confirm its validity and the services provided.

He exuded confidence that all the outstanding payments including those of November would be settled by the end of next week.

“The stage includes 1,187 hospitals and is progressing smoothly. SHA is committed to maintaining open lines of communication and ensuring that all stakeholders are well-informed and supported,” stated Mr. Ingasira.

“As SHA continues to enhance its operational processes, we remain focused on improving turnaround times and delivering excellence in service.”

The development comes days after the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) threatened to down their tools beginning December 23, 2024 over what they term as discrimination in the rollout of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), now rebranded to Taifa Care.

KUCO officials accused SHA of blocking clinicians from the list of service providers yet they operate over 1,000 private facilities in the country.