Stakeholders Demand SHA Payment List

Stakeholders Demand SHA Payment List

SHA stands for Social Health Authority in Kenya. It is a government corporation that replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) on October 1, 2024, under the Social Health Insurance Act of November 2023. SHA administers public health insurance to ensure accessible, affordable, and high-quality healthcare as part of Kenya's Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda. It oversees three main funds: the Primary Health Fund (government-funded for basic services), the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF, income-based contributions), and the Emergency, Serious, and Chronic Illness Fund (ECCIF). Permanent employees pay 2.75% of their gross salary (e.g., 1,375 KSh for 50,000 KSh), which is deducted like income tax. Self-employed individuals pay monthly contributions starting at 300 KSh, subject to means-testing, with subsidies available for those in need. The most significant difference compared to the NHIF is that, unlike the NHIF, which relied on a single fund, the SHA extends benefits to public and approved private providers and aims for broader coverage despite initial challenges such as funding gaps. Stakeholders in the Kenyan healthcare system, including medical professionals and hospitals, are calling for the full publication of the Social Health Administration's (SHA) payment list to ensure greater transparency and accountability. This push follows the government's recent disbursement of 91.4 billion Kenyan shillings out of a total of 130.4 billion Kenyan shillings, while concerns about delays and rejected applications persist. Medical professionals are urging the Ministry of Health to immediately publish the SHA payments to allow for verification. They are also calling for predictable budgets to support those in need, rather than relying on members of parliament. Hospitals point to inconsistent reimbursements. Some facilities receive no payments at all. Health Minister Aden Duale announced that 91.4 billion Kenyan shillings had been paid out to hospitals by the end of January 2026. In early August 2025, the ministry denied the removal of the SHA payment list from sha.go.ke/resources and confirmed its availability. A parliamentary committee demanded the settlement of outstanding NHIF invoices totaling 10 billion Kenyan shillings (which had been transferred to the SHA) within three months and the enforcement of a 90-day damages settlement deadline. The official SHA payment list remains available online at sha.go.ke/resources. Public analyses, such as a PDF summary of payments to hospitals like Kenyatta National Hospital (totaling 345 million Kenyan shillings), are also available. Stakeholder groups like RUPHA – the Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya, a non-profit organization representing private healthcare facilities in rural areas and urban centers that serve medically underserved populations – continue to advocate for transparency despite ongoing disputes. The Health Authority (SHA) faces widespread operational and systemic problems. These problems have led to delays in healthcare provision, financial strain on facilities, and public frustration. Frequent outages of the digital platform affect 92% of facilities, resulting in delays in processing benefit claims and requiring manual intervention. Delayed reimbursements and funding gaps mean that 89% of facilities cannot cover their costs and receive only partial payments from premiums collected. Access barriers exist for vulnerable groups such as cancer patients, teenage mothers, and the needy due to gaps in insurance policies and registration hurdles. And, as is often the case, there is fraud and corruption. High-ranking SHA executives have been arrested on fraud charges, including forgery and conspiracy to defraud millions. Systemic errors have reactivated suspended fraudulent entities, and scandals involve fictitious patients and 11 billion Kenyan shillings in missing funds. A parliamentary report lists 19 shortcomings, with 75% of Kenyans citing corruption as a major problem. Recent developments include demands from interest groups for transparent payment lists. Despite 91.4 billion Kenyan shillings being disbursed, disputes persist. According to polls, 70% consider the Public Health Insurance (SHA) inferior to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), even though changes in leadership are intended to improve stability. https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/health-science/article/2001539934/stakeholders-want-sha-payment-list-made-public-for-transparency https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/health-science/article/2001539934/stakeholders-want-sha-payment-list-made-public-for-transparency https://eastleighvoice.co.ke/health/249399/mps-demand-sha-clears-sh10-billion-in-pending-nhif-bills-within-three-months [