Polygamous Families to Pay More Under Social Health Insurance Fund
Polygamous households are on the verge of experiencing additional reductions in their coverage from the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
This aligns with the Ministry of Health’s categorization of men having two wives as distinct households, regardless of the number of dependents in each household.
On Tuesday, February 27, while addressing the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Health, the Ministry of Health received censure from the committee for enforcing a regulation deemed discriminatory.
As per lawmakers, this rule disregards the rights of individuals engaged in polygamous marriages, even though such unions are constitutionally allowed.
The legislators consequently called for regulatory modifications to ensure that the criteria for deductions applied to monogamous relationships are also followed in polygamous marriages.
“You are going against the laws of Kenya that allow polygamy. If you treat a household with two wives as two households it is double jeopardy,” stated MP Julius Sunkuli.
Don’t run away from the definition that wife is in singular spouse does not mean it is one spouse,” the legislator added.
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Nevertheless, the Ministry of Health justified its choice by asserting that the objective of the new legislation is to establish fairness among recipients of SHIF benefits.
In the revised healthcare plan, individuals with multiple spouses are required to contribute 2.75% for each separate household. For example, those with two wives will experience a 5.5% reduction in their overall salary, and individuals with three wives will encounter an 8.25% deduction.
The contentious suggestions regarding polygamous households emerge in the context of the Ministry of Health’s recent announcement to extend the deduction deadline until July.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha, in her announcement of the updated deduction schedule, affirmed that the registration would start in March and conclude by June 30th.
Nevertheless, the Council of Governors alleged that the Ministry of Health hastily executed SHIF, claiming that the ministry overlooked their input and only engaged them when publicizing additions to the regulations.
Polygamous Families to Pay More Under Social Health Insurance Fund