The government has addressed concerns regarding the SHA payment system, explaining why health tax deductions are not processed through the official government paybill.
Gerald Bitok, Director of Public Communication at State House, clarified that the decision to deposit funds directly into the Social Health Authority (SHA) account is due to the urgent need for health funding. This method allows SHA immediate access to funds, ensuring timely payments to service providers.
“The reason SHA payments bypass the National Government’s consolidated Paybill (222222) is because health financing is critically important,” Bitok stated. “By collecting member contributions directly into the Social Health Authority, it ensures there are always ready funds to pay service providers outside the often long processes of the national consolidated fund allocations.”
Unlike other government agencies, which rely on annual budget allocations, SHA has monthly financial obligations that must be met promptly to maintain uninterrupted service delivery. Bitok emphasized that this approach addresses funding challenges inherited from the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), which have often threatened to disrupt healthcare services.
“The goal is to resolve the funding issues inherited from the defunct NHIF, ensuring timely and reliable healthcare financing,” Bitok explained.
In addition, Bitok announced that SHA claims will be cleared by next Monday, while the authority continues processing pending claims owed to service providers by the defunct NHIF.
As of Tuesday, November 26, Bitok revealed the government had already disbursed Ksh3.7 billion in health funding, as promised by President William Ruto in his State of the Nation address. This includes Ksh1.25 billion for pending NHIF claims, Ksh1.1 billion for the Linda Mama program, and Ksh1.35 billion for SHA capitation payments.
