Discovery applauds bills’ focus on poor

DISCOVERY Health CEO Jonathan Broomberg has welcomed the proposed National Health Insurance Bill that could shake up healthcare in South Africa.

Broomberg said the bill was a step in the right direction for universal healthcare in South Africa.

“Very appropriately‚ the NHI Fund will have an initial focus on priority projects for vulnerable groups where the need is the greatest‚” Broomberg said.

“We welcome the focus on critical health priorities such as oncology and high-risk pregnancies, as well as the investment in critical preventative measures such as the school screening programme.

“The inequalities in access to quality healthcare services for all South Africans is a major concern for all South Africans.”

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi released the bill on Thursday‚ saying there would be a mandatory fund for free‚ high-quality healthcare for all people.

He also announced the release of the Medical Schemes Amendment Bill‚ which seeks to align the medical aid industry with the NHI.

Motsoaledi said the NHI would be a single fund that everyone who could afford to‚ would pay towards.

It would be like a giant state-run medical aid.

People would have to pay into it before they paid for their medical aid premiums.

The fund would pay for all state and private healthcare in the country‚ including private specialists and hospitals. — DDC