The Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) has called off its boycott of the Social Health Authority (SHA) services following President William Ruto’s directive to begin settling outstanding NHIF arrears.

However, the association has maintained the suspension of services under Medical Administrator Kenya Limited (MAKL), citing a lack of action in addressing providers' concerns.

In a statement issued on Thursday, RUPHA acknowledged that while the President’s directive does not fully resolve all issues, it marks a critical step towards financial stability for healthcare facilities.

“The President has directed the immediate payment of all NHIF claims below Sh10 million, covering 88 per cent of all affected healthcare providers (2,986 facilities),” RUPHA stated.

The association noted that this would provide relief to Level 2, 3, and 4 hospitals struggling with financial distress.

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For hospitals owed more than Sh10 million, the government has introduced a verification process before settling their claims.

RUPHA, however, is pushing for an interim flat reimbursement of Sh10 million to these facilities to ease financial strain.

“This ensures that no provider is left in a worse financial position, and large hospitals with clean, undisputed claims still receive immediate support,” the statement read.

The association defended its decision to end the SHA boycott, stating that constructive engagement with the government was now necessary to ensure the full execution of its commitments.

“Our boycott was a necessary tool for advocacy, but it was never an end in itself,” RUPHA said, adding that the government’s phased payment approach could have created divisions among its members.

Despite lifting the SHA boycott, RUPHA insisted that the suspension of MAKL services would continue due to the administrator’s failure to address multiple grievances.

Among the unresolved concerns, the association highlighted the lack of reconciliation of outstanding debts, failure to provide remittance advice for payments, and unilateral invoice discounts of up to 30 per cent imposed without provider consent.

“MAKL has not conducted any reconciliation of existing debt owed to providers, meaning hospitals cannot track what is due or outstanding,” RUPHA stated.

The association urged MAKL’s underwriters, Minet and CIC, to intervene immediately to resolve the issues. It also warned that further action would be taken if commitments were not honoured.

“If payments for facilities owed under Sh10M are not made promptly, RUPHA will immediately reassess our position and reconvene members to deliberate on next steps, including the possibility of reinstating service suspension,” the association cautioned.

RUPHA also pledged to monitor the claim verification process, warning that delays beyond 90 days would prompt urgent intervention, including possible industrial action.

Additionally, if MAKL and its underwriters fail to act, RUPHA vowed to escalate the matter to regulatory and legal authorities.

RUPHA assured its members that it remained committed to defending their interests, urging them to report any delays or irregularities in payments.