Hospitals under RUPHA to suspend SHA services over unpaid bills, system failures

Hospitals under the Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) will stop treating teachers, police officers, and patients using the Social Health Authority (SHA) from Monday due to unpaid bills by the government and system failures.

Speaking on Thursday, RUPHA chairperson, Dr Brian Lishenga, said challenges surrounding SHA have been ignored, endangering patients and threatening the survival of health facilities.

He noted that only 54 per cent of hospitals have received payments from SHA, while 89 per cent have reported portal failures and 83 per cent struggle to verify patient eligibility due to system glitches.

"We have unpaid debt dating back to 2017, hospitals are facing bank defaults, we have stock out of essential medicines, and many consultants haven't been paid for years," he said.

RUPHA Deputy Chairperson Joseph Kariuki confirmed that hospitals will stop offering services under the Medical Administrators Kenya Limited (MAKL), which manages insurance for teachers and police.

"We will stop providing medical services to police and teachers using government insurance from Monday. No services to teachers, police, and SHA patients from Monday until the government honours our demands," he stated.

RUPHA is demanding that the government clear Sh30 billion in NHIF arrears, review SHA's outpatient reimbursement model, and ensure fair and timely payments under MAKL.

The new health scheme, launched in October last year, has been plagued with system failures.

Clinical officers have also protested being barred from offering services through SHA, citing a breach of their return-to-work agreement, which included promotions, medical cover, and job confirmations.

They are now demanding immediate recognition and inclusion in the scheme.

With hospitals struggling financially, some have been auctioned, employees have lost their jobs, and doctors are now demanding cash payments before treating patients.

"Why is it that the Treasury does not value the lives of Kenyans?" RUPHA questioned.

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• Hospitals under RUPHA to suspend SHA services over unpaid bills
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