Annual medical scheme claims expenditure rose on average by 11.3% a year over the past decade, far faster than consumer price inflation, which increased on average by just 6.1%, according to data published on Monday. The Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) data came from its administrator, Discovery Health. DHMS is the biggest open scheme in…
Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba has trimmed the tax credits taxpayers receive for their medical scheme contributions to raise an extra R4.2bn for National Health Insurance (NHI) without destroying the affordability of medical scheme cover. The development highlights once again how much more cautious a line Treasury is taking than the Department of Health on the…
Our initial reflection on the proposed NHI system outlined in the Bill, is that it is pragmatic and workable. The Bill proposes the establishment of the NHI Fund and its associated governance and advisory structures. It indicates that for the next several years (at least until 2022), the NHI Fund will focus on funding critically-needed…
The Gauteng health department has been coy about the failure to perform open-heart surgeries at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital last month, after management suspended five specialised clinical technologists. The cardiovascular perfusionists allegedly refused to abandon patients in theatre in order to help with a liver transplant at a nearby private hospital. This led to management…
Cape Town – Medical doctors in Quebec are protesting against a ‘shocking’ increase in salaries as they bring to light the plight of nurses, clerks and other health professionals. They have started an online petition asking for their recent pay raises to be cancelled. It has already garnered about 800 signatories, including physicians, general practitioners,…
