The South African Society of Physiotherapy has lost its legal challenge against medical scheme clawbacks. The High Court in Pretoria dismissed the society’s application to have Section 59(3) of the Medical Schemes Act declared unconstitutional and invalid. The judgment ends a five-year legal battle involving the Minister of Health, the Council for Medical Schemes and the country’s medical schemes. The…
Tag: Health Funders Association
-
Medical Tax Credits: Schemes Urge Godongwana for Budget Boost
South Africa’s two biggest industry bodies for medical schemes are urging Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to keep medical tax credits in place and increase their value in the upcoming Budget. They argue the credits are critical to keep private cover affordable for working families, especially as costs rise. The call comes as the health department pushes to phase out medical…
-
Billions Lost to Fraud and Waste Cripple SA’s Private Healthcare
South Africa’s private healthcare sector is haemorrhaging up to R28 billion a year due to rampant fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA). This directly threatens the quality of care and financial stability of medical cover for millions of citizens. The stark warning comes from the Health Funders Association (HFA), which estimates the losses represent a staggering 15% to 20% of all…
-
Health Minister Moves to Halt NHI Legal Battles
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has launched a legal manoeuvre aimed at pausing the multiple court challenges currently facing the contentious National Health Insurance (NHI) Act. In an application to the High Court, the Health Minister is seeking to consolidate all cases. He also wants to suspend proceedings until a separate but related legal battle involving President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to…
-
Medical Tax Credits: A Crucial Financial Relief
As South Africa moves towards implementing its ambitious National Health Insurance (NHI) Act, a critical detail causes alarm. The proposed removal of the medical tax credit, presented by the government as a funding measure, could unravel the healthcare safety net for hundreds of thousands of working families. Additionally, it could place the public health system under immense pressure. A new…
-
Racial Discrimination Findings Applauded by Dentists’ Association
The South African Medical and Dental Practitioners (SAMDP) Association has lauded the final report of the Section 59 investigation, which addresses concerns of racial discrimination, as a “watershed moment” for the nation’s healthcare sector. Racial biases impact various sectors. The inquiry, chaired by advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, concluded that the country’s largest medical schemes racially discriminated against black healthcare providers. This…
-
Balancing act: Medical scheme tax credits in South Africa
Medical scheme tax credits are vital for sustaining South Africa’s dual healthcare system, providing essential financial relief to millions of working-class citizens. In his recent budget speech, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that these tax credits will remain in place – an important policy decision welcomed by healthcare experts and funders. Thoneshan Naidoo, CEO of the Health Funders Association (HFA),…