It is crucial for the Rev Isaac Harley to take his medication daily – it’s a matter of life and death really. As a diabetic with a hypertensive comorbidity, he depends on his tablets and insulin to maintain his insulin levels and to manage his high blood pressure. But it’s been one problem after the..
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Anger over medicines supply scheme
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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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Genesis wins case on accounting for use of medical savings funds
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On Tuesday, the Constitutional Court ruled that all funds paid by members to their schemes should be considered as assets, regardless of their intended use. Genesis medical scheme has won its legal battle with the Council of Medical Schemes over how to account for the funds in members’ medical savings accounts (MSAs), a development that..
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Vier maniere om jou mediesefonds-spaargeld te rek
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Ons gee verbruikers vier maniere om hul mediesefond-spaargeld te rek. Gebruik generiese medisyne As generiese medisyne beskikbaar is, is dit ʼn heeltemal aanvaarbare plaasvervanger vir handelsmerkmedisyne, tensy jou dokter dit spesifiek uitsluit. “Baie generiese medisyne is klone ─ dit kan deur die oorspronklike vervaardiger op dieselfde produksielyn gemaak word. Dis net die verpakking wat verskil,”..
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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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Making Sense of Medical Aid Rates and Tariffs
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The medical aid industry is known for confounding consumers with all sorts of complex terms. Among the most confusing of all are references to medical aid, or medical scheme, rates. Schemes and plans are quoted as covering the costs of in-hospital procedures up to 100%, 200% or 300% of the scheme rate or tariff. You..
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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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Are Medical Scheme Members aware of what they are paying for?
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The medical scheme industry is full of jargon and benefit structures that often leave the man on the street confused and frustrated when it comes to understanding and accessing their benefits. Medical schemes have in recent times attempted to simplify terminology to make it more understandable, but are they doing enough to ensure members know..
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