# How should a mental health service set prices and balance its payer mix?

URL: https://tymirahealth.com/resources/faqs/how-should-a-mental-health-service-set-prices-and-balance-its-payer-mix
For: Executives | Billing and payments | Reviewed by Independent clinical reviewer, Registered mental health clinician, Kenya | Last reviewed 8 November 2026

**Answer:** Most mental health spending in Kenya and the region is paid out of pocket, according to the World Bank's 2025 study of mental health financing in Africa. Many services therefore mix self-pay, private insurance, SHA, employer contracts and donor funding. SHA tariffs are set nationally and cannot be renegotiated in individual contracts. Model the cost per session, the time insurers take to pay, and rejected claims for each payer before committing. An accountant can stress-test the plan.

Sources: World Bank: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099062625151536999/pdf/P500559-c9a551f7-f86e-49ac-88b4-3f7f48de0e1d.pdf - Social Health Authority: https://www.sha.go.ke/onboarding-facilities - Ministry of Health: https://www.mntrh.go.ke/sites/default/files/2024-10/kenya_mental_health_action_plan__2021-2025_.pdf

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