Discovery Walks Out on Healthcare Board

DHMS - Board of Healthcare Funders split DHMS feels that it is not getting proper representation and value for the membership fees it makes to BHF

With no warning at all, the Discovery Health Medical Scheme resigned from the South African Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF), it was announced yesterday.

The Board has said that a divergence of views between itself and Discovery led the latter to make the drastic decision, however Discovery has denied this and claimed instead that its decision was based on the value  and effectiveness of the BHF itself.

A statement issued by the Board of Healthcare Funders said that Discovery resigned because of a "divergence of views between itself and other BHF member schemes on certain regulatory and policy issues."

However, Discovery hoped to put the picture straight with its own statement, saying that the split occurred because "DHMS felt that the BHF was not representing the medical schemes industry adequately or effectively in the policy debates; and DHMS was not receiving value for its significant contributions in membership fees that it makes to BHF."

"We fundamentally disagree with the view that there is a divergence of views between DHMS and other BHF member schemes on regulatory and policy issues," continued the statement from Discovery. "On the contrary, we find lots of convergence of views with most member schemes and non member schemes on most, if not all, regulatory and policy issues."

The Board of Healthcare Funders has traditionally represented the interests of its members in negotiations with government bodies, including the Department of Health.