All private hospitals have been instructed by the Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) to stop relying on the Social Health Authority (SHA) cover and instead demand cash payments from patients.
According to RUPHA, the directive, which will begin on September 22, 2025, follows months of delayed and unpaid reimbursements from the authority.
The association warned that the growing backlog of unsettled claims has rendered it unsustainable for private hospitals to extend services on credit.
Private Hospitals Told to Insist on Cash Payments for SHA-Covered Patients. Photo: Courtesy.
RUPHA expressed regret over the inconvenience caused by the directive but emphasized that the move was necessary to keep private hospitals operational.
This comes weeks after the association issued a 14-day go-slow notice to the Ministry of Health over the NHIF and SHA debt.
In a statement on September 5, RUPHA demanded the settlement of the NHIF debt and payment of 50 percent of outstanding SHA liabilities within 14 days.
Notably, on September 8, RUPHA Chairperson Brian Lishenga warned that private hospitals risk closing down by December 2025 if the government fails to clear outstanding debts.
He also said private hospitals may be forced to switch to a 100 percent cash payment model before patients can receive treatment.
