The Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) said that keeping medical scheme contribution increases affordable will require broader reforms to South Africa’s healthcare system, rather than relying on contribution guidance alone.
This follows the Council for Medical Schemes’ recommendation that medical scheme contribution increases for the 2027 benefit year are anchored at 3.8%.
BHF Managing Director Katlego Mothudi said the organisation supports the goal of limiting increases, but argues that medical schemes have little control over the prices charged by healthcare providers and major hospital groups.
“Healthcare providers and large hospital groups are effectively price setters, while medical schemes, and their members, are price takers.”
Mothudi said the BHF has written to the Registrar calling for structural reforms aimed at reducing healthcare costs across the sector.
“The sustainable answer is a stronger healthcare system that prevents diseases, purchases healthcare better, and delivers better outcomes for every healthcare rand.”
He said meaningful reform is essential to achieving lower and more sustainable medical scheme contributions for consumers
VOC News
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