New system could speed up payments of claims

POLOKWANE – A new, integrated claim management system used for compensation claims for occupational injuries and diseases was introduced in the province at the Fusion Boutique Hotel on Friday.

Hosting the event was the Office of the Compensation Commissioner, which is attached to the department of labour, and introducing the system was Hloni Mpaka, compensation fund stakeholder manager.

“The system is simple and free, with no middle man to be paid,” explained Mpaka.

“It is also very fast and efficient, with doctors being paid immediately, should the information provided be complete. Service suppliers can also check whether they have been paid by checking the remittance advices.”

Mpaka said the system, due to commence in July, would address the problems that the old system had had. These problems resulted in doctors having to wait for long periods of time without being paid by the fund, and many refused to see patients injured on duty without being paid upfront, as a result of this.

“It is an online system, where a service provider when he registers, gets an automatic, once-off reference number before he can access the system. Fraud is further limited by each service provider having a password which should, ideally, just be known to one person at the workplace. All reports are submitted online. We hope the frustrations associated with the old system will be a thing of the past,” Mpaka said.

She said even payments would be done online. The department would also bring institutions used by doctors for debt collections online.

Currently claims were processed manually, adjudicated and verified first, because there was a lot of fraud with claims, she explained. This caused a delay in paying doctors out.

Mpaka encouraged service providers to start testing the system in order to eliminate any problems.

Service providers can go to www.labour.gov.za to register for online services.