The NHI Bill is currently undergoing a public consultation process, with a number of healthcare, civil society and political groups presenting on why the new system should or should not be introduced.
It added that South Africa’s doctor- and nurse-to-population ratios are low compared to peer countries, while specialist-to-population ratios are currently 10% of the OECD average. “The bill provides no reasonable certainty that private providers will be reimbursed at a commercially viable level, i.e. that prices will exceed the provider’s total cost of delivering the service and thereby support provider sustainability; and bring about parity between public and private providers by accounting for the differences in their cost structures.”
It presented the example of ‘patient A’ with chronic renal failure receiving life-sustaining haemodialysis treatment currently covered by a medical scheme:As an expensive treatment, the NHI Fund may not be able to provide cover to all patients who need it;