Board of Healthcare Funders calls on Minister of Health to take Action

In light of the recent calls by Netcare and others for transparency across the healthcare industry, BHF welcomes the newly released regulations pertaining to the National Health Reference Price List as they will promote transparency of charges.  In terms of the regulations, all suppliers of healthcare services will be obliged to submit data on the costs of doing business to the Department of Health.  This information will then be scrutinized and evaluated by a panel of experts appointed by the Minister of Health.

Given that  medical schemes have little bargaining power in relation to specialist and hospital charges for Prescribed Minimum Benefits which they are legally obliged to pay for in full, and in view of the analysis undertaken by BHF indicating that some medical specialists charge higher rates for PMBs than other conditions, BHF calls upon the Minister of Health to exercise her power in terms of the Medical Schemes Act to regulate the prices at which Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMB's) are charged.   It is inequitable to require medical schemes to pay the costs of these benefits in full while providers can charge whatever they deem fit.