National health insurance

What is national health insurance?

What national health insurance (NHI) comes to, is that current medical schemes are to be replaced by a single, state-managed National Health Insurance Fund that will be financed with tax money.

Where does NHI currently stand?

The National Health Insurance Act 20 of 2023 was ratified by the President on 15 May 2024, but it is yet to be implemented. The date for implementation has not yet been announced. The Act provides that NHI is to be implemented in phases from the date of implementation, but the terms and time frames have not yet been fixed.

A few problems with the NHI legislation:

• It will require significant tax increases to implement.
• It will prohibit medical schemes from financing the same services funded by the NHI Fund.
• Private doctors and clinics will have to provide free services at the point of delivery and will therefore be dependent on reimbursement by the NHI Fund.
• Patients will not be able to decide themselves to go to specialists but will have to be referred to one by the primary carer.  
• Patients will not be able to go to their facility of choice, but will have to obtain the required services from the (nearest) facilitate where they are registered.  

Why AfriForum is against NHI:

• AfriForum believes in the right and responsibility of people, families and communities to make their own decisions on their healthcare. This freedom may not be taken away by the government.
• The NHI Act has various sections that contravene the Constitution and the principles of international law.
• AfriForum foresees large-scale corruption may be possible in any attempt to implement NHI.
• The implementation of NHI will probably result in an outflow of medical experts to other countries.
• There are better ways to improve access to healthcare in South Africa.  

Videos:

Dr. Eugene Brink

Monique Taute

Natasha Venter’s interview on ENCA

NHI Part 1: Potential economic disaster for South Africa | Mike Schüssler

NHI Part 2: To spend more money on the problem is not a solution | Mike Schüssler

NHI Part 3: Health care capacity limitations | Mike Schüssler

NHI Part 4: Focus on repairing the current system first | Mike Schüssler

Forum Nuus: AfriForum dien kommentaar by die parlementsgebou in

Blogs and articles:

AfriForum gereed om kommentaar op destruktiewe wetsontwerp oor NGV in te dien

Nasionale Gesondheidsversekeringskema sal jou gesondheid in anc-hande laat

Nasionale Gesondheidsversekering geen utopia vir Suid-Afrikaanse gesondheidstelsel

NGV – die hoeksteen van privaat gesondheid se ondergang

Nasionale Gesondheidsverskering gaan die goue eiers vat tot die ganse wegvlieg

Dié is die ‘gevaarlikste’ staatshospitaal in Gauteng

Nasionale Gesondheidsversekering ‘sal voortgaan’

AfriForum on NHI: Government is responsible for sick healthcare system