CONTRACTS for relatives, generous retainers and accommodation in plush hotels are just some of the perks unethical trustees of medical schemes have deemed fit to award themselves with over the past decade, eating into the funds available to cover members’ medical bills.The latest scheme to join the inglorious list is Medshield, which was placed under provisional curatorship last week.It follows Sizwe, placed under curatorship last month, and Bonitas, Gen Health, KwaZulu-Natal, Medicover 2000, Pro Sano, Protea, Renaissance, and Telemed.The fact that serious governance failings come to light year after year indicates there are systemic weaknesses that can only be addressed by amending the Medical Schemes Act, says Alex van den Heever, who holds the Old Mutual chair of social security at Wits. All the schemes placed under curatorship are open to anyone able to pay the monthly premiums.Closed medical schemes that are restricted to specific professional groups tend to have very tight ove...
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