Health Matters

Tag: Healthcare Affordability

  • US Healthcare Affordability Crisis Squeezes Small Employers

    The healthcare affordability crisis in the United States is straining employers of every size, but it is hitting small businesses hardest. Employers expect health costs to rise by nearly 10% on average in 2027. For many small firms, the rise is expected to be roughly double, according to survey data cited in a recent commentary. Because most Americans have employer-sponsored…

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  • Medical Schemes Should Be Allowed to Offer Low-Cost Benefit Options

    FOR millions of South Africans, private health cover is not a question of desire but of affordability. Health insurance costs are climbing inexorably, while the medical schemes market stagnates. Under pressure, consumers are downgrading their scheme options, delaying joining, or switching to cheaper health insurance. The demand for affordable cover is clear. Yet South Africa’s regulatory framework still bars medical…

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  • Mandatory Medical Scheme Membership Could Lower Costs

    Making mandatory medical scheme membership a requirement for everyone earning above the tax threshold could cut cover costs by up to 30%. This is according to research commissioned by the Health Funders Association (HFA). The findings appear in a report released yesterday. The HFA, which represents medical schemes and administrators covering roughly half the market, modelled two linked reforms: compulsory…

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  • PMB Reform Could Make Medical Cover More Affordable

    South Africa’s progress towards universal health coverage will depend on practical reforms that make quality healthcare more affordable and accessible. One of the biggest barriers is the outdated framework governing prescribed minimum benefits, or PMBs. PMBs are the conditions and services that every medical scheme must cover. They protect members from losing access to essential care during serious illness or…

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  • GEMS Contribution Increase Sparks Union Backlash

    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…

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