New National Health Insurance (NHI) will hijack private hospitals.

[Daxk]

Originally Posted by Therooster

Neither my gran , grandfather, or aunt had to pay anything for their medical care. That included a hip replacement, heart bi-pass and operation to clear a blockage between the pancreas and liver. Not even 1 rand. All were in favourable (compared to most) financial positions.

Government medical treatment is free.

I would bet that all three were registered OAPs.
And if someone did not bother to check on their Financials, it would be.

You are saying that someone earning 15k a month gets free treatment in a Govt Hospital?

[Halo]

You have a brave family...

If I go to a state hospital, will I have to pay?
Yes. The amount will depend on how much you earn and on how many dependants you have, according to the hospital rating scale.

At the low end of the scale - that is, if you are unemployed - you will be expected to pay R39 as an outpatient. This will cover your consultation, medication and possible blood or other tests. A pensioner will pay only R13 for the same service. If you are unemployed and need to be admitted, you will pay R194 for up to 30 days.

The maximum a state hospital will charge, if you're at the top end of the income scale, is R55 for a consultation. However, you will be charged additional amounts for medication and tests. For a stay in hospital, a top-end patient (including those on medical aid) will pay R484.90 per day, excluding medicine and theatre costs.

The government is trying to guide patients away from hospitals to its public clinics and community health care centres - where free primary health care services are available. However, patients on medical aids will be charged.
(Source - http://www.southafrica.info/services.../healthfaq.htm )


Shocking state hospital conditions, South Africa
I would hate to see some of the others.

It does not take long to find out how BAD the public hospital system is.....
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-05-...tals-in-crisis
(The World Health Organisation recommended an average ratio of eight doctors to every 10 000 people -- about three times more doctors than South Africa currently has.)

[vegasboy]

Originally Posted by Halo

You have a brave family...

If I go to a state hospital, will I have to pay?
Yes. The amount will depend on how much you earn and on how many dependants you have, according to the hospital rating scale.

At the low end of the scale - that is, if you are unemployed - you will be expected to pay R39 as an outpatient. This will cover your consultation, medication and possible blood or other tests. A pensioner will pay only R13 for the same service. If you are unemployed and need to be admitted, you will pay R194 for up to 30 days.

The maximum a state hospital will charge, if you're at the top end of the income scale, is R55 for a consultation. However, you will be charged additional amounts for medication and tests. For a stay in hospital, a top-end patient (including those on medical aid) will pay R484.90 per day, excluding medicine and theatre costs.

The government is trying to guide patients away from hospitals to its public clinics and community health care centres - where free primary health care services are available. However, patients on medical aids will be charged.
(Source - Health FAQ - SouthAfrica.info )


Shocking state hospital conditions, South Africa
I would hate to see some of the others.

It does not take long to find out how BAD the public hospital system is.....
SA state hospitals in crisis - Mail & Guardian Online: The smart news source
(The World Health Organisation recommended an average ratio of eight doctors to every 10 000 people -- about three times more doctors than South Africa currently has.)

Thanks Halo Rooster is either applying reverse psychology or totally and utterly misguided. My concern is that people use information posted here to make life changing decisions. I

[Halo]

Originally Posted by vegasboy

Thanks Halo Rooster is either applying reverse psychology or totally and utterly misguided. My concern is that people use information posted here to make life changing decisions. I

Every little helps.... as its important for people to get the facts. IMHO, people like Rooster just plain lie, twist statistics and pick those that suit and when faced with a direct question - Duck and dive.

What their agenda is? - The good Lord only knows.

[Halo]

No Rooster?

[vegasboy]

Rooster [ˈruːstə]: A person regarded as cocky or pugnacious [pʌgˈneɪʃəs]adj, readily disposed to fight; belligerent: Inclined or eager to fight; hostile or aggressive.

[vegasboy]

In a recent statement of the COSATU Central Executive Committee, 23-25 August 2010 they demand the immediate introduction of the new NHI:

"We are mobilising for the immediate introduction of the NHI. We shall join forces with civil society and alliance to demand addressing of the current two-tier health system - one for the rich and the powerful who enjoy first class services in the private clinics and hospitals and the other for the overwhelming majority who must face the humiliating third-coach conditions in the public hospitals."

What they are demanding, is that the private hospitals which currently service 7 million of the population, be forced through the mechanisms of the NHI to serve at least "some" of the remaining 43 million who dispise state hospitals for obvious reasons.

Politicsweb - Political hyenas increasingly in control of state ? COSATU CEC - PARTY

"Aaron Motsoaledi, health minister, wants to improve the (health) situation through a new national health insurance system. The details of that scheme remain unclear, but it has been met with scepticism by many in private healthcare who worry that South Africa cannot afford the costs of establishing it – as much as R216bn, according to the research consultancy Econex. The system would probably oblige private hospitals to lend assistance in some form – something which could drag down their standards as they struggle to help a public sector “in disarray”, the Institute of Race Relations warned recently.
South Africa’s striking nurses open door for private healthcare | beyondbrics | FT.com

[Jason1]

The private health care system is just one example of how everything is being plundered and pillaged in South Africa in the name of equality and when there is nothing left they will pull a Robert and blame apartheid