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{
    "id": 1036798,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1036798/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 166,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Halake",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13184,
        "legal_name": "Abshiro Soka Halake",
        "slug": "abshiro-soka-halake"
    },
    "content": "The COVID-19 pandemic is a defining global health crisis of our time, has continued to ravage the country. The pandemic is now in its second wave, which has proved to be more lethal than the first wave. Regrettably, insurance companies have been reported to be frustrating patients by failing to honour claims from private hospitals. Indeed, these companies, including the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) are said to have withdrawn their covers on treatment of COVID-19 patients. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as a rider, I would like to congratulate the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who has tried in cases where Members of Parliament have intervened. He has tried to do his best, but we need to know what the policy is at that level. Most insurance companies have insisted on COVID-19 patients only availing themselves to services at designated Government facilities leading to the said hospitals becoming overwhelmed and being forced to turn away patients. Further, instances have been reported of patients being forced to meet the full cost of their treatment from their meagre personal resources. This has really caused them a lot. The treatment is becoming out of reach for most of them. This has resulted in patients not being able to access proper medical attention and might be a contributing factor to the increased deaths that we are witnessing around the country. Mr. Speaker, Sir, recently, it was reported in the news that insurance premiums in Kenya have increased by 3.2 per cent in the second quarter of the year 2020 to Kshs121 billion up from Kshs117.28 billion, reported in the same period last year. This means that the insurance industry is raking in profits while greedily neglecting a pandemic. When we were in the Committee on COVID-19, we had appealed that the population be given support. Mr. Speaker, Sir, companies have continued to pay millions to the sector to have their workers covered. Insurance companies are refusing to cover COVID-19 patients. Why are they accepting the premiums from companies when they are turning away patients? Of what essence is insurance cover if it cannot come through for the clients at their hour of need, especially during this pandemic? While it may be a tall order to require them to cover all costs, the insurance companies may consider putting a threshold to reduce the patients’ burden. They are not doing that. It is for the above reasons that I wish to draw the attention of the Senate to this matter and urge the Ministry of Health, the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) and the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI), to put in place measures to ensure the insurance companies are prevailed upon to widen the scope of coverage to allow their clients get access to proper medical treatment should they be diagnosed with COVID-19 disease. I have asked this under Standing Order No. 47 (1), because this is becoming an issue. This is because as Members of Parliament, we now have to run from office to office and harambee to harambee to take care of COVID-19 patients. I hope the Senate will take cognizant of this and take action. I thank you. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}