Kenya’s teachers are staring at uncertainty as their medical scheme contract with Minet nears its expiry date on November 30, 2025. The looming deadline has raised questions about the future of the cover and the stability of healthcare access for thousands of educators and their families.
The scheme, managed by Minet Kenya on behalf of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), is one of the largest in the country. It caters for more than 400,000 teachers, extending benefits to about 500,000 families and covering close to 1.4 million lives nationwide.
Edwin Kegode, the General Manager of Minet Kenya’s Medical Managed Care Division, has defended the scheme but admitted it has challenges. He noted that there are gaps in its implementation, explaining that the sheer size of the cover makes it difficult to manage seamlessly.
Among the biggest complaints from teachers are demands for out-of-pocket payments at some facilities. Kegode dismissed the practice, stressing that no teacher or dependent should be asked to pay directly for medical services.
“This scheme does not expect any teacher or dependent to pay out of pocket,” he said. “Should you encounter a service provider that requires payment directly to the hospital, we have put our lines open so you can report that provider, and appropriate action will be taken against them.”
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The scheme has also faced claims of fraud in certain hospitals. Kegode said the matter is being taken seriously.
“We are aware of concerns around access and reports of fraud in some facilities. While these cases are isolated, we are taking them seriously and have suspended certain hospitals pending investigations to protect teachers and ensure integrity in the scheme,” he explained.
Another issue has been delays in the pre-authorization process for medical services. Teachers have often complained about being asked to submit documents themselves because hospitals fail to provide complete information.
Kegode admitted this has slowed access to care but said reforms have been made. “Under the teachers’ scheme, we have scrapped a lot of the need for pre-authorization. Previously, some of the complex outpatient services required pre-authorization, so there is no form of pre-authorization of all of the patient services,” he stated.
Concerns have also been raised about mortality benefits. Younger teachers say they receive less compared to senior colleagues, making the scheme appear unfair.
Kegode confirmed that the matter is under review. “We are aware of concerns from our younger teachers regarding mortality benefits. We are exploring options to make the death-in-service benefits more equitable across all ranks. We are also considering reintroducing the death-in-service benefit to provide financial support to families of deceased teachers, ensuring that they are not left vulnerable,” he said.
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Communication has equally been a challenge. Some teachers claim they are not fully aware of what the cover entails.
Kegode said Minet is working to fix this. “It is important that teachers are fully aware of the services available to them. We are looking beyond social media to engage teachers directly wherever possible,” he noted.
As the November 30, 2025 deadline draws closer, the future of the scheme remains unclear. The cover is a lifeline for thousands of households, but its pending expiry, coupled with unresolved concerns, has created anxiety.
The decision on whether the contract will be renewed, extended, or replaced will determine whether teachers continue to access reliable healthcare or face a period of uncertainty and frustration.
By Benedict Aoya
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