Medical aid privacy row brews

TWO of three of the country’s biggest medical aids have not passed on their members’ details and addresses as instructed by the Council for Medical Schemes. And the third refused to say if it had or not.

The medical aid regulator wants a database of every medical aid’s membership details.

The Democratic Alliance cited concerns about privacy of members‚ saying such a request is unconstitutional and illegal.

Discovery Health administrator – which manages the claims of Discovery Health Medical Scheme and 18 other medical aids – said it had not passed on its millions of members’ details.

CEO of Discovery Health Jonathan Broomberg said it was working with the regulator to manage their requests in a way that would not affect members.

Liziwe Nkonyana‚ spokeswoman for the largest closed scheme‚ the Government Employee Medical Scheme‚ said it also had not handed over the details.

Bonitas Medical Scheme‚ the third one‚ refused to comment.

After three days of requests‚ it said it could not comment or respond at this time.

The regulator has denied that the request is illegal and a breach of the constitutional right to privacy.

Health Department spokesman Joe Maila has said it wanted details of medical aid members stored in a central database so that it could bill those who use state hospitals and do not pay the required amount. — TMG