President Ruto orders immediate payment of NHIF claims

By Wanderi Kamau

President William Ruto on Wednesday, 5 March, 2025, issued three key directives aimed at addressing the long-standing debts owed by the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), which have significantly impacted healthcare services across the country.

In an official statement, President Ruto ordered the immediate payment of claims up to KSh10 million for 91 percent of hospitals previously contracted by NHIF.

This move aims to ease financial strain on health facilities that have struggled under the weight of unpaid claims.

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For the remaining 9 percent of hospitals with claims exceeding KSh10 million, the President directed that a thorough verification exercise be conducted to confirm the validity of the pending debts.

 Following this 90-day verification period, a payment plan will be established to clear the outstanding balances.

To facilitate the process, Ruto instructed Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa to officially gazette a verification committee within seven days. This committee will be responsible for overseeing the validation and settlement of the large claims.

“The NHIF debts have burdened healthcare facilities for over a decade, disrupting services in public, private, and faith-based hospitals,” Ruto said, noting that by the time NHIF was dissolved on November 22, 2024, it owed a staggering KSh33 billion.

Meanwhile, Ruto assured Kenyans that the newly established Social Health Authority (SHA) is actively paying all verified claims. Since its launch on October 1, 2024, SHA has disbursed KSh18.2 billion to cover undisputed claims as of January 31, 2025.

“I assure Kenyans that any challenges in implementing Taifa Care are being addressed, and the government remains committed to ensuring smooth healthcare services,” the president affirmed.