What you pay for an ambulance or doctor’s visit after the tariff increase
According to the head of communication of the GDoH the uniform patient fees have risen by 4.9%, meaning a persons who earns R70 000 a year, or less, will be charged R160 for an ambulance, and R95 for a specialised doctor’s visit.
The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) wishes to inform the public of the new uniform patient fees, or tariffs, which have come into effect as of May 1 this year.
The revised tariffs follow the public consultation process in March whereby interested persons and stakeholders were given until March 29 to submit written comments and representations on the gazetted draft regulations relating to uniform patient fees payable for public hospitals, emergency medical services, mortuaries, and differentiated amenities.
Head of communication at the GDoH Motalatale Modiba said the tariffs have gone up by a 4.9%.
He said that the revised fees will be applicable to all categories of patients, medical schemes, road accident fund, workman’s compensation, intergovernmental organs such as the South African Police Service (SAPS), non-subsidised categories of foreign nationals treated at State Health facilities, differentiated amenities, and all subsidised patients within the following categories, except for those categories that are exempted or qualify for free services.
“H1 – individuals with an income of less than R70 000 per annum and households with an income less than R100 000 per annum. H2 – Individuals with an income less than R250 000 per annum and households with an income less than R350 000 per annum. H3 – Individuals with an income greater than or equal to R250 000 per annum and households with an income greater than or equal to R350 000 per annum,” said Modiba.
He added that in terms of the revised fees, an individual under the H1 category who calls an ambulance, requiring advanced life support, will be charged R160, which is R5 more than what they are currently paying.
The same H1 category patient who accesses services at a provincial hospital, and consults a specialist practitioner, will be charged R95 per visit, compared to R90 currently.
Also read: 230 Department of Health and Wellness staff graduate from the Tools for Life programme
“The Uniform Patient Fee Schedule (UPSF) billing system ensures a simplified charging mechanism for public hospitals, hospital mortuaries, and ambulance services, and it provides a transparent and consistent fee structure for the treatment of patients, both as in-patients and out-patients. This adjustment takes into account the cost-of-living adjustments and the inflation rate,” Modiba explained.
For the H2 category patient, they will pay R325, from R320, for an ambulance, and a further R95, from R90, for a consultation. An H3 patient will pay R487, from R465, for an ambulance, and R141, from R134, for a consultation.
The annual review of the patient fees is implemented in line with the requirements of Treasury Regulations 7.3.1 and the Public Finance Management Act No.1 of 1999.
He said these regulations mandate the accounting officer of an institution to review all fees, charges, rates, scales, or tariffs that are not fixed by law and relate to revenue accruing to a revenue fund.
Modiba said GDoH urges members of the public who are eligible to pay for services to comply with the revised UPSF.
Follow us on our Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok pages. Join our WhatsApp group for any story ideas you may have.
Related article: https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/news-headlines/2016/04/06/life-carstenhof-hospital-wins-prestigious-awards/
