The demarcation regulations clearly distinguish between medical insurance products and medical aid schemes. For the consumer, this means that while limited gap cover and hospital cash-back plans will still be allowed, primary healthcare insurance policies will no longer be available. All existing policies will need to align with the regulations from 1 January 2018. Affected..
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Hospital cash-back plans crimped by new law
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The most expensive and cheapest medical aids in SA for 2017
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The latest GTC Medical Aid Survey for 2017 has been released, which compares local medical aid schemes on cost to members across various levels of cover. According to GTC, medical aids are complicated schemes, and comparing them is an almost impossible task; however it has developed a review process that compares schemes across specific categories,..
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Pryse vir kankermedikasie word ondersoek
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Suid-Afrikaanse kankerpasiënte en hul geliefdes het die mededingingskommissie se besluit om drie farmaseutiese maatskappy se pryse vir kankermedisyne te ondersoek geloof, en versoek dat die ondersoek so spoedig moontlik afgehandel moet word. Die mededingingskommissie het vroeër die week aangekondig dat hulle die internasionale farmaseutiese reuse Aspen, Pfizer en Roch ondersoek omdat die maatskappye na bewering..
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Healtcare Services Delivery need to change in Africa
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Healthcare services delivery in Africa needs to change, but no-one is quite certain how. What is certain is that future trends will be driven by access to big data, to shape new models of care in driving innovative, affordable and accessible services, across this diverse continent. With 1,2bn people, many enjoying a longer life, and..
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Day hospitals: The answer to rising health costs?
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South Africans are faced with the constant increases in the cost of living and an ailing economy, forcing consumers to cut down on spending across the board. For a small percentage of the population, healthcare costs are covered by medical aid, but only an estimated 16% of South Africans have such coverage while the rest..
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Medical fraud costs the country’s economy
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The phenomenon of suspiciously qualified or unqualified doctors opening shop in some township and attracting unsuspecting patients has become a concerning norm. Discussions and debate are focused on state capture and its effect on the economy, but there’s another beast eating away at productivity, hurting the economy and undermining our health system. South Africa is..
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Allegations of fraud at UKZN medical school – Sama Responds
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The South African Medical Association (Sama) has called on the department of education to act swiftly to deal with allegations of fraud and corruption at the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). This comes amid allegations that certain members of the community, and some staff members from the UKZN, fraudulently..
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Climbdown on medical aids
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The Department of Health has done a U-turn on its plan to scrap medical aid schemes, saying they should work with the state when it rolls out National Health Insurance instead. Department director-general, Precious Matsoso, met leaders of the medical aid plan sector and asked that they work together to reform healthcare in South Africa…
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Is your GP contracted in to a medical scheme network?
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If GPs are contracted in to a medical scheme network, they might be pressurised to recommend cheaper treatment options and medications, say SA health bodies. The Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) and the IPA Foundation (IPAF) is extremely concerned at the comments made recently by the Health Professions Council of South Africa concerning Designated Service..
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Most affordable medical aid schemes and hospital plans in South-Africa for 2017
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The medical aid industry saw a massive shake-up in April as National Treasury introduced new regulations which will see a limit on the amount of gap cover and hospital cash-back policies you can claim, as well as the discontinuation of all primary healthcare policies. This is was done in an effort to differentiate between “medical..
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