As the government of Kenya through the Ministry of Health continues to encourage Kenyans to enroll for the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), only 3.1 million have taken the means test meant to evaluate the contributor’s financial situation and ability to contribute. As of January 2025, projections indicate that Kenya has around 33 million persons aged 18 years and above and qualified to register for the subsidized SHIF scheme. However, according to the records verified by the Ministry of Health, a total of 18,985,030 people has already registered for the newly incepted heal fund.
This means that about 15 million Kenyans who are already registered for various reasons hare yet to take the test used determine individual contribution rates, especially for those in the informal sector. This tool assesses various socio-economic factors to estimate household income and set appropriate contribution levels.
The Means Testing Instrument analyzes the socio-economic status of a household after registration by considering housing conditions, availability of critical services, family structure, and spending behavior. Other indirect sources such as phone calls and mobile banking during the timeframe may be used to estimate income levels more accurately so that the cost of living can be computed better.
An individual’s annual contribution to SHIF is estimated at 2.75% of their income based on the means test. Self-employed workers contribute every month as their employers make deductions for salaried employees and the self-employed have their means assessed and placed in a payer class.
Kenyans can take the SHIF means test through multiple channels, including online registration via the Social Health Authority (SHA) website, the USSD code *147#, or visiting designated NHIF offices for assisted registration. The process evaluates factors such as housing conditions, household expenditures, and other economic indicators to calculate an individual’s contribution, set at 2.75% of estimated income.
