It seems not even Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana knows what the funding model for the impending NHI is likely to be, with the Minister saying they would “start discussing this with the Health Department after President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Bill into law”.
Godongwana refused to be drawn on how much it would cost once they start implementing it, saying when he tabled his Budget speech in February, the Bill had not yet been signed.
IOL reports that the Health Department’s budget had three components: one was the salary of employees, totalling R11.6bn. The second was the upgrade of infrastructure in hospitals and other facilities. The last element was R1.4bn – allocated to NHI pilot projects.
Godongwana said there were public references to taxes being used to fund the NHI, but he had not made any such announcement.
“At no stage did I mention that. I mention taxes once a year, on Budget day. If I am going to tax anything, you will hear next year on 19 February.
“I have said in the White Paper that various scenarios have been proposed for financing healthcare. Once the Bill has been assented to by the President, we will then work on those,” he added.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Income tax hike and payroll tax proposed for NHI funding
Government dodges issue of NHI funding model – DA
No new funding for NHI in yesterday’s Budget