What stakeholders think of SA’s proposed new healthcare laws
The Medical Schemes Amendment Bill and NHI Bill have drawn mostly cautious praise
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi unveiled two bills on Thursday intended to move SA towards universal access to quality healthcare — the Medical Schemes Amendment Bill and the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill. Proposed changes to the Medical Schemes Amendment Act include the eradication of co-payments for medical aid members when medical aids do not cover their full doctor or hospital bills. Vaccinations‚ primary and preventative care and contraceptives have to be paid for by medical aids‚ which generally do not cover preventative healthcare. The bill also proposes the abolition of medical aid brokers. An NHI fund would be mandatory‚ and everyone who could afford to would pay towards it. It would be like a giant state-run medical aid. The fund would pay for all state and private healthcare in the country‚ including private specialists and hospitals. The bills have drawn mostly cautious praise. Here is a selection of reactions.
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