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{
    "id": 1344196,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1344196/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 379,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. This is a very well-intentioned Bill although it has some problems. Because of the work that has been done in the Committee, I support fully this Bill. This is basically about health financing, with a history as far back as 1965. It has gone through many stages until now we are at the Universal Health Coverage (UHC), through the Ngilu Bill. Many of us do not realise that UHC came through the Ngilu Bill that was not signed, but was presented to the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is what motivated the concept of UHC. We are convinced that this Bill will result in a more effective replacement of the current NHIF. The difference between this Bill and the NHIF Act is that it has three Funds. The Social Health Insurance Fund is different from NHIF because everyone will be covered, with the indigents being paid for by the Government. There is even a provision that those who wish to pay but do not have funds can be supported with funds that they can pay back. Therefore, everybody will be supported. We have proposed, through the Committee, that the Primary Healthcare Fund must also cover Level 1 hospitals. It was intended to cover Levels 2 and 3, but it must cover Level 1 hospitals as well. The Chronic and Critical Illness Fund and Primary Healthcare Fund are supported from the Exchequer. It is only the Social Health Insurance Fund that is supported through contributions. All these Funds will be managed by one Authority. This Bill will create an Authority which will manage all the three Funds. There will be need, and the Committee has said so in the Report, for things to be done very carefully. Otherwise, it may be difficult at the time of implementation. This Bill also creates a process through which enhanced schemes, particularly in Government, where people pay extra for private insurance, can be managed by the Social Health Insurance Fund. This was a problem before, but now the Fund has been designed in such a way that we hope it will not be loss-making. This Bill creates a claims management office. Here is where the Committee has made a big difference. I have the advantage to know what the Committee did. In my view, I would have opposed this Bill if this area was not looked into. Health insurance is about claims. If anybody manages them, you have given the private sector the money. We will move an amendment to ensure that it does not happen. We cannot assume that our people are corrupt and that the ones in the private sector who will manage them are not. Let us deal with corrupt people and run our systems. So, I support the amendment."
}