Public sector unions have criticised the Government Employees Medical Scheme after it failed to secure approval for a lower increase in member contributions. GEMS asked the Council for Medical Schemes to reduce its average increase to 7.5% from July 2026. However, the regulator rejected the proposal. The decision means members will continue paying contributions based on the approved average increase…
Tag: Government Employees Medical Scheme
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Gems Premium Hike: Unions Demand Single Digits
South Africa’s largest medical scheme for public servants, Gems, is facing mounting pressure from unions. They want to limit its 2026 premium increase to single digits. This follows a controversial 13.4% hike this year. Following several years of modest increases, the double-digit rise for 2025 drew strong opposition from public sector unions. These include the Public Servants Association (PSA) and…
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Public Servant Concerns on Redirecting Medical Aid Contributions
Plans to redirect South African public servants’ significant medical scheme contributions into the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) fund face considerable hurdles. Delegates at the annual Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) conference heard this on Tuesday. Any such move would necessitate complex changes to public servants’ conditions of service. Staunch resistance to this process is likely. Public servants currently benefit…