AON Minet, the sole teachers’ medical service provider has directed teachers who wish to change dependents to do so by the 31st of December 2022.
AON Minet is a medical insurance services firm that covers more than 350,000 teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
The announcement was issued via Short Message Service (SMS) sent to teachers today that informed teachers that changes made on the list of dependents will take effect in February 2023.
One of the messages read:
“Dear Mwalimu, You have until 31st December 2022 if you wish to change your dependents. These changes will officially take effect in the month of February 2023. Kindly login to https:collaborationkenya.minet.com/tsc, click on change of dependent, fill in the changes as required and attach supporting documentation. For more information, call 1528”.
AON Minet’s three-year contract was extended on a temporary basis after its contract ended in October this year. The Commission is yet to issue a contract to a new medical insurance provider for teachers employed under the Commission.
Teachers’ dependents were blacklisted when AON Minet’s contracts elapsed in October and now the medical cover provider has notified teachers to upload and update dependents’ details afresh on its portal.
AON Minet also modified its service provider which caused the requirement for the fresh listing of details of dependents.
The medical insurance company replaced its service provider MEDBOOK with Patient Service Management (P.S.M) system.
Teachers are now required to upload the details of dependents so that the dependents can start getting medical services.
Teachers will be required to upload a birth certificate for children who are below the age of eighteen (18) years or a birth notification for children who have been recently born.
For married teachers, they will be required to upload a marriage certificate or a sworn affidavit. They will also be required to upload the IDs of their spouses.
In case a teacher has a child in college or university or high school who are adults (over the age of 18 years), they are required to upload their original ID Cards or school ID cards as proof. The disability card is to be uploaded for children who are disabled.
Teachers pay for their medical coverage through deductions made on their payslips. TSC teachers’ medical allowance is channelled to the medical cover every month.
The medical scheme cost the Commission Kshs. 12 billion in 2020 and Kshs. 14 billion in 2021. A legal tussle has delayed the contract for a new medical scheme.
The Commission is facing legal action over awarding a Kshs. 35 billion to medical insurance tender for teachers which is alleged to benefit AON Minet.
The Senator to Busia wanted the Commission to cancel the tender that was awarded to AON Minet which has been providing medical insurance services since 2019.
Mr. Omtatah claimed that the Commission had set unreasonable conditions that were tailored to do away with competition to ensure AON Minet retains the deal.
“I demand the immediate cancellation of this rigged tender and that the procurement of a comprehensive teachers’ medical insurance coverage must be done in accordance with the provisions of Article 277(1) of the Constitution and Kenya’s procurement laws,” said Omtatah.
However, the aggrieved parties comprising the Kenya National Teachers Pressure Group (KNTPG) Chairperson Martha Omolo, have since withdrawn all cases after reconciling with TSC and the medical insurance over the same.