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{
    "id": 1412794,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1412794/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 220,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ms. Susan Nakhumicha",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Health",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker and Hon. Members. Let me start with the question that has been raised by Hon. Kibagendi, regarding the payment of NHIF claims. Indeed, there has been a delay in the payment of claims due to delays in exchequer release. As we speak now, NHIF owes service providers close to Ksh30 billion. Of this Ksh30 billion, Ksh22 billion is owed to NHIF by Government and other Government entities. This week, we had a meeting with the National Treasury and yesterday, the Principal Secretary for Medical Services received a confirmation from the National Treasury of a release of Ksh5.5 billion for payment of claims. We are expecting that once the money hits the account this week, payment of the claims by NHIF need to proceed as from next week. I also want to clarify that payment of claims is an ongoing exercise. Last year alone, NHIF paid out a total of Ksh36 billion. So as claims continue to be verified and reconciled, they get paid as and when exchequer releases are available. Hon. (Dr) Nyikal raised the issue of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). It is an agreement between an employer and an employee. Medical cover is provided by the employer to an employee. As the national Government, we can only take responsibility for the employees that belong to the national Government. CBA is not a policy issue. It is what is signed and agreed between the parties. At the Ministry, we continue to play our responsibility in the development of policies, and that is why at the moment we are working on the internship policy."
}