The Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) had pleaded for a reduction in the Health Minister’s powers in the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, saying current provisions vest too much power in one person’s hands, and that certain conditions should be imposed before NHI can be fully implemented.
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP), which had called for public submissions on the Bill, has extended the deadline for written comment until 15 September, reports Business Day.
In its submission, the BHF urged MPs to revise the Bill’s section 33 to include that certain conditions be met before the Minister can declare the NHI fully implemented, said BHF head of health system strengthening Rajesh Patel.
These include ensuring that at least 75% of the population has registered with the NHI fund, an assurance from the Finance Minister that the fund can pay for health services for at least five years, and that at least 80% of the country’s health facilities have been accredited.
“Currently, section 33 allows the Minister to spring the news on medical schemes with no advance warning that they may only provide complementary cover,” said the BHF in its submission. “Section 33 is thus contrary to the constitutional principle of administrative justice and allows the Minister to act arbitrarily.”
Wits governance expert Alex van den Heever said SA already had a universal health coverage system that protected citizens from financial hardship, and the government should rather focus on fixing its flaws instead of trying to impose NHI.
People who could afford it belonged to medical schemes that provided cover for future healthcare expenses, while those who could not afford medical scheme membership relied on taxpayer-funded public health services. The result was a system that largely protected people from catastrophic medical expenses, he said.
Business Day PressReader article – Curb NHI powers of minister — plea (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Minister’s powers in NHI ‘unconstitutional’
Strong support for curbs to Health Minister’s powers in proposed NHI
Doctors’ petition urges NCOP to reject NHI Bill
‘Not even its supporters agree’ on what NHI means for private health’