NHI costs huge, benefits few

Funding requires economic growth, resources, says Discovery.

- Ina Opperman

LONG WAY TO GO: NO RESTRICTIONS ON MEDICAL AIDS UNTIL SCHEME IS FULLY IMPLEMENTED.

Funding the current model of National Health Insurance (NHI) will require personal income tax to increase by 31%, or VAT to increase by 6.5% or employed people to pay 10 times the current Unemployed Insurance Fund contributions.

According to the CEO of Discovery, its model shows people would get 70% less health care benefits if NHI is implemented.

Adrian Gore, CEO of Discovery, touched on NHI when he presented the company's results last week.

He also had good news for medical scheme members who are worried they will lose their cover: if you read the NHI Act carefully, it states that medical schemes will only be barred from funding what the NHI funds once NHI is "fully implemented".

Gore said according to some of the estimates, additional funding of R200 billion is needed for NHI.

"Currently, employed people who use private health care spend about R2 300 per person per month on benefits.