Healthcare inquiry says SA needs a supply-side regulator
Other recommendations are that tariffs for prescribed medical benefits become binding, and that certificates of need replace hospital licences
The health market inquiry has recommended the creation of a dedicated supply-side regulator of healthcare, as a regulatory authority that would regulate medical practitioners and determine tariffs. It has recommended that tariffs for prescribed medical benefits should be binding and that tariffs for non-prescribed medical benefit conditions will have the status of reference tariffs. The inquiry has also recommended that certificates of need, as provided for in the National Health Act but never implemented, should replace the current system of hospital licences. To address the high level of concentration in the hospital market, the inquiry has suggested that consideration be given to placing a moratorium on issuing new licences to the three large hospital groups — Netcare, Life Healthcare and Mediclinic. The chairman of the inquiry, former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo, said at a media briefing on Thursday on the release of the inquiry’s provisional report, that current regulatory mea...
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