The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) is accusing health insurers of running a 'cartel-like' operation that has denied patients access to desired medical care in addition to frustrating doctors.
The accusation comes amid an ongoing dispute between Nairobi Hospital and eight insurance companies, which object to a revision to the facility's costs for various services.
According to KMPDU, the big companies have suspended rules of fair play and were using tactics such as blackmail to gain profits with less regard for the patients they cover. "As a union, we have been taken aback by the recent developments where insurance companies have come together to fleece and interfere with the management of patients by our doctors.
Our members have complained that third parties (read insurance companies) are getting between them and their patients, thus interfering with patient care," said KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah.
