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Fin24 reports that Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says he will embark on a "massive roadshow" on the National Health Insurance (NHI) to meet all stakeholders to understand their concerns and learn what kind of universal health coverage they would find acceptable.
At the same time, he will begin implementing Section 57 of the NHI Act, which deals with transitional mechanisms that the NHI will require. Motsoaledi's announcement that he will now consult widely on the NHI Act is a major change in his stance. There had been extensive consultation in the lead-up to the NHI Act becoming law, including public hearings by both houses of Parliament and intense lobbying by stakeholders, including the SA Medical Association, the Board of Healthcare Funders, and Business Unity SA. But despite all this, the ANC had refused to make significant changes during the lawmaking process. This resulted in some stakeholders lodging court papers for a review of the Act. Briefing journalists following the ANC's three-day policy lekgotla, Motsoaledi said: “[Despite] the war raging about NHI, you will never hear anyone say they are against universal health coverage (UHC). They all say they accept UHC, but then there is a big but, and they will say they don't support it in the form [of the NHI Act]. So, our job is to find out in what form they want it. What is it that if it was on the table, they will go for it?” The concession also follows an undertaking by President Cyril Ramaphosa to his government of national unity (GNU) partners to review the areas of disagreement on the NHI, to find consensus. The NHI Act, although signed by Ramaphosa, has not yet been promulgated. It is possible to promulgate sections of the Act at a time.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carol Paton at Fin24 (free trial access)
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