At some point we will need a Health Insurance for all Kenyans. But before that, we have to have some things right.
Firstly, those who need private health insurance should continue with that arrangement BUT the holders should make a contribution towards the national scheme.
Secondly, we need to clear off all the quacks and have a regulated system of charges across the board. General practitioner's and specialist's charges should be set up by a competent authority. This is very important and this is the reason why i say so... Sick people should be able to visit a medical doctor, get treatment and make a payment and seek a reimbursement of a certain percentage of the fees that they have paid in case of out-patient. In a situation where the patient cannot afford, the doctor should be able to treat the patient and claim the money from the provider of the health insurance.
Thirdly, all doctors in the country need to be registered and given codes that should appear on all documents that the patients will present for reimbursement to minimize forgery.
Lastly, it should be defined what is covered and what is not covered and by what percentage for instance dental care (75%), optical care (35% exclusive of glasses) etc etc. On the last point, the medical conditions not catered for can be picked up by private providers.
It may look not practical.... but once we think about taking care of the sick persons in our midst who cannot afford it then you can make a decision wewe mwenyewe!!!!.
The biggest drawback is that we have become a nation of what Koigi Wamwere (former subukia MP) called a few meat eaters and millions of grass eaters. Being a meat eater ain't a bad thing but meat eaters in Kenya are extremely greedy and manipulative which seals the fate of grass eaters.
History will not remember you for your IQ. It will remember you for what you did. “Genius is 1 percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration.” Thomas Edison