The draft NHI Bill has been released.
The Council for Medical Schemes has released the draft NHI bill for comment.
You can download it from this site here ( note, almost 5MB though- so it will take a while ): DraftNHIBill 2018
Here are a few points, looking quickly through it:
- fund is the single purchaser and financier of healthcare services in the SA.
- the fund is a mandatory prepayment health services system.
- the fund must design health care services (as advised by Committee).
- the fund must enter into contracts with certified and accredited public and private service
providers based on the health care needs of users. - the fund must establish rules and mechanisms by notice in the Government Gazette for the
regular, appropriate and timely payment of health care providers, health
establishments and suppliers. - determine prices annually after consultation with health care providers, health
establishments and suppliers in the prescribed manner and in accordance
with the provisions of this Act. - collate utilisation data and implement information management systems to
assist in monitoring the quality and standard of health care services,
medicines, health goods and health related products procured by the Fund. - must enforce compliance with this Act.
- “Refugees, and asylum seekers who have not been granted refugee status as defined in the Refugees Act, have the right to”–( see this section, can see a backlash here).
- There is a section requiring that you register as a user/beneficiary, with your id number (i expect this will also need some work).
The draft bill mentions finances, committees, delegation of powers and so on.
All in all, a long read… however, you can see from just the above bits.. this is a mammoth undertaking and will require considerable input further. Implementation given as end 2026 (after phases 1-3).
Each of the bolded areas above, are already going to require a system within a system… so i hope that there are some really sharp brains working on this.
NOTE: THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
Herewith, please find copies of the Draft Medical Schemes Amendment Bill, 2018, published in the Government Gazette no 41726 of 21 June 2018, as well as the Draft NHI Bill, 2018, published in the Government no 41725 of 21 June 2018, for public comment within three months of publication.
Comments can be sent to: Attention: Dr Anban Pillay, Deputy Director- General: National Health Insurance, Private Bag X 828, Pretoria, 0001 – Email: Anban.Pillay@health.gov.za
Well this topic seems to be attacting a lot of attention: i saw this right now (Financial Advisor news):
Draft NHI and Medical Schemes amendment bill
It also appears that the Health dept has been requesting that people please comment. Well i did read a few comments on this article, perhaps the health dept would care to have a look: Cyril Ramaphosa NHI is here to stay
More comments on the NHI Bill
What the stakeholders have to say
Somehow the land expropriation came into this, minister of health
Doctors could leave the country, exacarbating the skills shortage.