Panel investigating claims of racism against Medical Schemes
‘Degrading, humiliating, and distressing’ – Section 59 investigation finds medical schemes racially profiled black health practitioners. The findings of investigation stemming from allegations from black doctors were released this week, despite attempts to block in in court.
Note- this story has been updated since it was published to include Discovery Health comment – Court action could not keep the damning findings of racial profiling of black doctors by medical aid schemes from public view.
A High Court judge has handed down a ruling ordering that a report revealing Medical Schemes racial profiling of doctors and health workers should be released to the public.
Racial bias against black medical practitioners ‘reflects fissures of an unresolved past’
The section 59 independent investigation into complaints by black medical practitioners investigated for submitting improper claims to medical-aid schemes has found that they suffered systematic racial discrimination from three major players in the field, reflecting the persistent schisms of the country’s political past.
“Our constitution regards the form of unfairness that we have found to exist as constituting unfair racial discrimantion,” the panel, headed by advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, concluded its interim report released on Tuesday.
Far-reaching and serious findings
The report was released shortly after the Government Employees Medical Scheme (Gems) failed in the Pretoria high court to secure an urgent court order preventing the panel from publishing its interim findings. The other two medical schemes cited in the report are Discovery and Medscheme.
January 18, 2021
Close-up medical syringe with a vaccine.
All South Africans who belong to a medical aid scheme will not have to pay a cent to receive their COVID-19 vaccine jabs. The Board of Healthcare Funders confirmed that all medical aid schemes, regardless of their membership size, are expected to cover their clients at 100% when the vaccination rollout begins in a few weeks.
Currently, only 16% of South Africa’s adult population belongs to a medical aid scheme.
“The BHF confirms that medical schemes will pay for their members to fund the Covid-19 vaccine as a prescribed minimum benefit [PMB] in line with the Medical Schemes Act Regulation Amendment, that declares the medical prevention and treatment of COVID-19 as a PMB,” said Dr Katlego Mothudi, managing director of BHF, to SowetanLIVE.
The Government Employees Medical Scheme (Gems) and the Board of Healthcare Funders have urgently gone to court on Sunday to interdict the public release of an interim report about racial discrimination against doctors by medical schemes.
Netcare, Discovery appeal CMS directive to stop selling prepaid vouchers Ina Opperman
Discovery s headquarters in Sandton. Picture: Charles Cilliers ‘NetcarePlus does not conduct the business of a medical scheme and the salient features of the products bear this out through an innovative solution.’
Discovery Health and NetcarePlus have decided to appeal the directive from the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) that ordered them to stop conducting the business of a medical scheme after they launched a new digital health innovation enabling people to buy vouchers for primary healthcare services in the private healthcare sector.
The directive instructed Discovery Health and NetcarePlus to provide the CMS with confirmation and evidence that their prepaid healthcare vo