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Healthcare providers and facilities have been given until September 30 to complete new contracts with the Social Health Authority (SHA). The current agreements will expire at 11:59 p.m. on September 30, after which facilities without new contracts will not serve SHA beneficiaries.
SHA Chief Executive Officer Mercy Mwangangi has urged facilities seeking to continue offering services to complete the contracting process before the deadline. Facilities that fail to secure executed agreements for the 2026–2029 cycle will be barred from providing SHA-funded services from October 1.
Access to the SHA provider portal will also be withdrawn from facilities that fail to renew their contracts. The restriction is expected to prevent affected providers from continuing to operate under SHA arrangements after their existing agreements expire.
Patients May Need to Be Transferred
Facilities that have not completed the renewal process have been advised to prepare for the transfer of patients receiving ongoing treatment. The transfers are intended to ensure that patients continue receiving care at facilities with valid SHA contracts.
The authority said the transition was necessary to protect continuity of treatment and prevent disruptions when the current agreements lapse. Patients receiving chronic or specialised care could therefore be affected if their current facilities do not complete the contracting process.
New Contracting Cycle Begins October 1
The new contracting cycle will run from October 1, 2026, to June 30, 2029. It will operate under the HAKIKA framework, which was launched alongside a new electronic contracting platform on September 18.
The contracts will cover healthcare services financed through the Primary Health Care Fund, Social Health Insurance Fund and Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund. The Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund will also be covered under the new contracting framework.
SHA Moves Contracting Process Online
Through the E-Contracting Platform, healthcare facilities can submit applications and supporting documents electronically. Licences can also be verified, contracts executed and application progress monitored through the digital system.
The platform was introduced partly in response to challenges experienced during the first contracting cycle. Concerns had previously been raised over payment delays, rejected claims and pre-authorisation processes.
According to the Ministry of Health, HAKIKA is intended to establish clearer requirements covering healthcare benefits, reimbursement and quality standards. The framework is also expected to provide clearer mechanisms for resolving disputes between healthcare providers and SHA.
Some healthcare providers have nevertheless raised concerns about provisions contained in the proposed agreements. Particular concerns have been reported around claims payments, deductions and obligations placed on facilities when SHA payments are delayed.
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