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Fin24 reports that according to Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, the 2023 Budget to be tabled in February is unlikely to have a substantial focus on the National Health Insurance (NHI) and will focus on overcoming service delivery backlogs in the present system.
The NHI Bill is being processed by the National Assembly, which hopes to its complete deliberations before Parliament rises next week. But, the Treasury has yet to provide details on how the NHI will be financed. In reply to a parliamentary question, Godongwana was frank that little work had been done on NHI financing and stressed that full implementation was still some way off. A more likely scenario was a gradual phasing in of some benefits over time. Godongwana indicated: “The need for and timing of further updates to the NHI costing model will be determined by practical progress with NHI, spending patterns, and the timing of the legislative process. Further cost modelling will need to be informed by further development of the NHI benefit package, healthcare utilisation trends and projections, and unit costs.” He also cautioned that "the cost model will not automatically translate into budget allocations as these would have to be made as part of the budget process which will take into account the macro-economic environment and fiscal space." While the DA has been pushing for a commitment that the NHI will not be implemented, even partially, before the financing issues are sorted out, Godongwana said he could not give such an undertaking.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carol Paton at Fin24
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