Linking certificate of need to NHI is ‘purely mischief’, says health ministry
Headlines characterising the High Court’s judgment as a huge blow to NHI ‘are in the same mould as Bell Pottinger propaganda’.
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Blow to health department’s plan to tell doctors where they can work
The High Court finds that sections of the National Health Act providing for a Certificate of Need scheme do not pass constitutional muster.
Ramaphosa and Steenhuisen say differences over NHI can be resolved
But statements by the Minister of Health indicate the ANC does not believe material changes to the NHI Act should be made.
How NHI could cost employers and employees
It is expected that scrapping the medical scheme tax credit will be the first measure designed to raise revenue for NHI.
Investigation calls into question the narratives used to support NHI
BHF-commissioned study identifies 11 assertions made about private healthcare and medical schemes that lack foundation.
Another setback for CMS in legal battle over LCBO documents
The signing of the NHI Act does not mean the BHF is letting up in its fight for regulations on low-cost benefit options.
Solidarity and BHF file court papers challenging NHI
The trade union says moves are afoot for members of the National Assembly to bring an application against the NHI Act.
Medical schemes get costlier as reform takes a back seat to NHI
Members of medical schemes are paying up to 30% more because the regulatory system broke down after the government’s focus shifted to NHI.
How the NHI shake-up may impact South African healthcare
There are concerns about the sustainability of private providers and whether the public will face higher costs to maintain their current level of healthcare.
NHI ‘collaboration’ means different things to the government and the private sector
In an interview this week, President Ramaphosa was asked whether South Africans will pay higher taxes to fund NHI.
Medical schemes assure members that NHI is a long way off
The expected legal challenges to the legislation and the pressure on the state’s finances could delay full implementation of the system for many years.
CMS invites BHF to collaborate, criticises ‘forum-shopping’ tactics
The BHF’s canvassing of key policy issues in the public domain via a ‘deliberately leaked’ lawyer’s letter indicates the organisation ‘has run out of creative ideas’.
Council mulls outsourcing appeal adjudication amid BHF accusations
The CMS asserts that medical schemes have frequently disregarded the existing appeals procedures, exploiting them to the detriment of members’ interests.
CMS denies it is sabotaging medical schemes to boost NHI
The regulator comes out swinging in its response to the Board of Healthcare Funders’ claims of bullying and curatorship abuse.
NHI will ‘definitely’ be funded once the Bill becomes law – Godongwana
National Treasury will work with the Department of Health on the funding scenarios outlined in the 2017 White Paper.
Board of Healthcare Funders takes Council for Medical Schemes to task in lawyer’s letter
The BHF raises 10 issues, including the ‘misuse’ of curatorships, whether NHI is informing policy prematurely, and the absence of low-cost benefit options.
Health department pushes the case for ‘affordable’ NHI
Meanwhile, Solidarity suffers a setback in its efforts to halt the government’s preparations for implementing the system.
