Government is focusing on wrong area

In drafting the NHI Bill, the ruling party’s attention is in the wrong place, writes

TTed O’Connor.

he proposed Bill to enforce national health insurance (NHI) might have noble intentions, but is bound to fail because the government can’t deliver. The present infrastructure is almost in a state of collapse, exacerbated by massive claims for negligence, and needs to be overhauled. That is where government’s focus should be.

Two other reports following your headline in Friday’s paper tell of massive fraud amounting to R1.2 billion in the Gauteng health department, the other mentions the NHI pilot scheme, which has been on trial for five years and has proved a dismal failure.

Statistics reveal medical aids pay health providers about R100 billion a year; presumably they take in contributions of similar size, but without competent and honest officials in place, the NHI will be a disaster.

So how can Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, the minister of health, be sure he will deliver a system that will meet the needs of all those requiring specialist treatment?

He hints at the large reserves medical aid schemes have. They do it for prudent reasons and while I think those schemes should be run in the spirit of “friendly societies”, most struggle to meet their liabilities, hence annual increases are beyond the inflation rate.

I, personally, would welcome a reduction in my premiums but without reducing my benefits, it seems not possible.