Call for private sector to admit that change is needed in insurance sector
This due to the impending National Health Insurance scheme
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With the ANC government set on going ahead with its plans to introduce a
National Health Insurance scheme, there have been calls from the private
sector to admit that changes are needed in the current insurance system.
An insurance executive from Pro Sano medical scheme said last week that there
is no doubt that the huge gap between wealthy South Africans and the vast
majority who live in poverty has to be closed.
Joe Seoloane said: "It is not morally OK for some of us to continue with the
status quo. It is just so obvious that something must change."
That 'something' is already in the pipelines, with the ANC determined to
introduce the National Health Insurance system before the end of President
Zuma's term in five years time.
The private health insurance industry has been forced to accept that there
seems to be nothing stopping the government with its plans, despite the fact
that pertinent questions regarding the practicalities of fixing such a skewed
system have remained unanswered.
The private sector can only decide now that the best way to minimize damages
on its own medical funds is to try and influence the NHI as much as possible -
in other words work with the government instead of against it.
The task facing the new health insurance scheme is huge. There are currently
5.5 million people living with HIV in the country. Women and children are not
getting basic medical treatment with new mothers and babies dying at a much
higher rate than most countries around the world.
There is no denying that all South Africans DO require a fair medical system.
The question remains how this can actually be done. Many acknowledge that the
ANC government simply cannot be trusted to set up such a massive project,
especially since so many of the country's hospitals have been left to ruin and
so many doctors and medical staff flee abroad.
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