An overwhelming majority of taxpayers believe the NHI will have a negative impact in South Africa, and trigger an exodus of doctors as well as a greater decline in healthcare standards.
This is according to the findings of a survey by Tax Consulting South Africa that raised many questions about who will fund the scheme and what impact it will have on medical staff and patients in the long run.
IOL reports that 84% of respondents said they opposed the NHI, and that it would result in higher costs for taxpayers and less access to quality care.
“The surcharge on personal income tax, employee payroll taxes and a removal of the medical tax credits signals a significant tax burden for taxpayers, a fear raised by the survey participants,” Tax Consulting SA said.
A further 82% expressed a lack of confidence in the government’s ability to implement NHI effectively and improve both access and standards.
Another 81% believed it would result in a significant number of medical professionals emigrating, leading to staff shortages in local facilities.
Further to that, 77% of respondents felt that the NHI was a political manoeuvre rather than a genuine effort to equalise healthcare access.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Pinning down the real cost of the NHI: SA tax expert
Let’s be pragmatic to make NHI work for us