Jubilee Insurance is offering customers virtual psychiatrists and doctors on call to undertake Coronavirus recovery from the comfort of their homes to reduce the cost of claims on the insurer.

Limited bed space, catering and extra costs of staying in a hospital pushes up the average cost of managing coronavirus patients without complications to Sh600, 000.

However home based care for two weeks costs just a fraction of about Sh200, 000 for two weeks.

Read also

• Turning on credit taps for small businesses after COVID-19
• Price sensitive Kenyans may turn to till payments as waiver on mobile transactions fees wind up

Jubilee Health Insurance CEO Dr Patrick Gatonga said the lower costs of home-based care have enabled them to curate a package offering additional support to patients from virtual counselling, online support group and telemedicine where one can dial in a doctor within two hours for consultations.

The firm is also offering a care package of thermometer, a box of surgical masks, red disposable bags and prescribed medications and a drug delivery services for Non-Covid/Chronic diseases.

“Although it depends on the patient’s condition, the average costs for patients without complications and who do not require to be in ICU is approximately Sh600,000. This may vary depending on the hospital. Some hospitals may cost higher than others because of bed limits and other charges. Yet For a period of 14 days – Under 200,000,” Dr Gatonga said.

He said that the average cost for patients who require ICU treatment is approximately Sh1.2 million and even then the care package provides facilitation to several private and public hospitals in case the patient needs to be admitted.

Most of Coronavirus patients are asymptomatic while some experience mild symptoms that only require management care.

The Chief Administrative Secretary for Health, Dr. Mercy Mwangangi said that 78 per cent of the infected persons are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms which can be managed at home, when the Ministry launched Home-Based Isolation and Care protocols, in June.

Medical claims contributes the second largest portion of premiums at Sh42.4 billion in the last quarter of 2019 and attracts the largest claims at Sh20.4 billion in a similar period.

In Kenya, medical insurance remains a loss-making segment due to price undercutting, fraud and high hospital bills. Medical insurers’ underwriting loss doubled to Sh75 million in 2019.

Insurance companies are adapting to the times in the face of expected claims related to the coronavirus.

The regulator, Insurance Regulatory Authority instructed that all insurers meet coronavirus related claims rejecting an industry push to cap corona claims.