South Africa’s largest doctors’ organisation, the South African Medical Association (SAMA), is preparing for fresh talks with Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on the future shape of National Health Insurance (NHI). The move follows a public push by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana for organisations challenging the NHI Act to consider negotiating a settlement, rather than prolonging court battles. SAMA is one…
Tag: NHI
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NHI Court Challenges: Litigants Reject Settlement Call
Negotiations are unlikely to resolve the NHI Act court challenges in the near future. Most organisations taking the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act to court have poured cold water on Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s suggestion that litigants should meet the government and “craft a settlement”. At the heart of the dispute is trust. Several groups argue that the government should…
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2026 Healthcare Watchlist: Nine Healthcare Stories to Track
Twenty-twenty-six is shaping up as a year of sharp policy fights, fast-moving science, and stubborn system failures. Spotlight’s 2026 Healthcare Watchlist will track nine stories that could shift budgets, reshape services, and test public trust. A limited rollout of a new HIV prevention injection could be a turning point for prevention options. Weight-loss medicines are evolving rapidly, with new oral…
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NHI Legal Challenges: Talks Stalled by Politics, Funding Gaps
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s call in Parliament to withdraw the nine National Health Insurance (NHI) lawsuits and pursue negotiations hinted at a reset. The NHI legal challenges highlight complex debates over the future of healthcare in South Africa. Some stakeholders, including Profmed’s Craig Comrie, signalled openness to talks to avoid appearing anti-poor. Yet beneath the courtesy lies hard calculus: most…
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2025 Health in Review: Challenges and Triumphs
The 2025 Health in Review for the South African healthcare sector began with a seismic geopolitical shock. It is ending with a mixed scorecard of administrative failures and clinical triumphs. The tone for the year was set in January. This occurred when newly inaugurated US President Donald Trump signed an executive order pausing all foreign aid for 90 days. The…
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Medical Scheme Increases Amidst Regulatory Concerns
For millions of South Africans grappling with the rising cost of living, the announcement that medical scheme contribution increases for 2026 will largely remain within single digits offers a welcome reprieve. However, industry experts warn that these restrained figures mask a precarious financial reality. 2026 Medical Scheme Contribution Increases: Top 5 Open Schemes Medical SchemeWeighted Average IncreaseEffective DateKey NotesBestmed6.8%1 January…
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Medical Scheme Tax Credits: Treasury Resists Reallocation for NHI
A significant policy rift has emerged within the South African government over funding for the National Health Insurance (NHI). This debate concerns the future of medical scheme tax credits. President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the NHI Act into law in May 2024, yet Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana remains reluctant to implement the funding mechanisms required by the law. In a recent…
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NHI in South Africa: Political Ideology vs Reality
Following the Medium-Term Budget Statement and recent parliamentary presentations, the National Health Insurance (NHI) is back in the headlines. While there is no dispute that South Africa’s healthcare system is profoundly unequal and requires urgent reform, the path forward remains fiercely contested. The current friction stems from a policy shift in 2007. Before this, post-apartheid reform favoured a phased approach…
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Medical Scheme Tax Credits: Finance Minister Expresses Caution
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has sounded a strong note of caution. The Department of Health’s proposal to fund the controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) involves phasing out medical scheme tax credits. Speaking to journalists shortly before tabling the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) in Parliament, the Minister expressed deep concern over the potential impact on taxpayers. The Department of Health…
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NHI Funding Plan “Unworkable and Unfeasible,” warns HFA
South Africa’s ambitious National Health Insurance (NHI) plan is facing intense scrutiny. The Health Funders Association (HFA) warns that “uncertainty and contradictions” plague the government’s NHI funding plan. They render it “unworkable and unfeasible”. The HFA has raised fundamental questions about the affordability and sequencing of the NHI. They highlight contradictory timelines presented by the Department of Health in court…
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Medical Tax Credits Under Investigation by Treasury
The National Treasury confirmed that it is actively investigating the “number of potential implications” of limiting or entirely removing medical tax credits. Proponents have long proposed this move as a key mechanism for raising funds for the government’s sweeping National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme. In a brief statement, the Treasury acknowledged it “had engagements with the Health Department” on the…
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BHF Seeks Clarity for Medical Tax Credit Changes
The Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) has written to Treasury director-general Duncan Pieterse, demanding “urgent clarity” on the government’s plans to phase out medical scheme tax credits. These credits serve as a financing mechanism for the National Health Insurance (NHI), a controversial initiative. In light of this, BHF seeks clarity on how these changes will impact the healthcare funding landscape.…