Why should Kenyans take Medical Insurance?

What benefits can Kenyans get by taking medical insurance? As a Kenyan, you should know that the cost of medical and surgical services increase each year. In fact, some procedures are so expensive that you can’t manage to raise enough funds for your treatment at the eleventh hour.
By taking a medical insurance plan, you can protect your body and mind 24/7 and avoid financial disaster in case you have to go for an expensive medical procedure.

Medical insurance companies in Kenya provide policies that cover a broad range of medical and surgical procedures. With a health insurance plan, you can easily take care of your outpatient care (treatment without being admitted to a hospital), trips to the emergency room, inpatient care (treatment with admission in hospital), care before and after birth of your baby, payment of prescription drugs, payment for lab tests, and access preventive services such as counseling, screening and vaccines for managing chronic diseases without having to worry about the costs of the services. Kenyan health insurance companies also offer coverage for pediatric services (including dental and vision care for children), devices and services to help you recover when you are injured, have a disability or suffer from a chronic disease, and mental health and substance abuse disorder services (like counseling, psychotherapy and behavioral health treatment).

Ideally, medical insurance in Kenya has three main benefits:

(a)     Making medical care affordable

When you are hospitalized or just visit a doctor because of an illness or injury, your medical health insurance will pay part of the cost, reducing your out-of-pocket expenses. Without insurance, you will be required to pay the full cost of your medical or surgical expenses, which may run into thousands of shillings more than what is paid by someone with insurance. Remember, you may today be a healthy and vibrant person, but just one terrible accident can completely change your physical, psychological and financial health. Going without medical insurance is risky for all Kenyans, both rich and poor, because the average cost of a three-night stay in a hospital without insurance is about Ksh 30,000, an amount you may not raise when required urgently. But depending on your health insurance plan, you will have a huge chunk of your medical and surgical expenses covered.

(b)     Keeping prescription costs low

One thing that most Kenyans don’t know is that medical insurance helps to keep the cost of prescription drugs low and affordable, particularly when you use generic medication. This is particularly important for persons who must take prescriptions regularly, though every Kenyan can benefit. Since you can’t know when and for how long you will need antibiotics, pain medication or other drugs for an unexpected injury or illness, it is wise to take medical insurance so you are not frustrated by the costs of your medication in future.

(c)     Promotes preventive care

Most Kenyans who don’t have medical insurance rarely visit the doctor until when they are ill or injured. But with a health insurance plan, the cost of preventive treatment to keep you well and healthy is both low and taken care of. In fact, most medical insurance companies in Kenya will allow you to cover your preventive care with your premiums so that you will not pay anything out-of-pocket for immunizations, health screenings and wellness examinations. Keeping ahead of the curve with medical insurance’s preventive benefits helps you to stay healthy for longer and keeps your costs lower.

Summary

Medical health insurance offers huge benefits to all Kenyans, whether rich or poor. The insurance ensures you are prepared for unexpected health emergencies, keeps you healthy with preventive care services, and reduces the total cost of prescription drugs. And while the benefits of health insurance plans vary from one provider to another, you can always compare different plans before taking a policy to ensure you maximize the benefits you get on your premiums.