Consider premium holiday for affected medical scheme members, council asks
The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) encouraged medical schemes to assist vulnerable members who cannot pay contributions due to a loss of income as a result of the Corona virus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown.
The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) encouraged medical schemes to explore the possibility of giving members a premium holiday of three months, as the nationwide lockdown takes its toll on household finances.
The Council for Medical Schemes is a statutory body established by the Medical Schemes Act (131 of 1998) to provide regulatory supervision of private health financing through medical schemes.
Many families were left with no income as non-essential businesses had to close its doors temporarily, and as a result now rely on government for relief during the lockdown period.
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The regulator had also asked medical aid schemes earlier to cover the screening, diagnosis, treatment and care of Covid-19 patients.
Sipho Kabane, CEO of the Council, said the regulator encouraged medical schemes to assist vulnerable members who cannot pay contributions due to a loss of income as a result of the Corona virus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown.
“Schemes should investigate all disruptions to member contributions on a case-by-case basis and determine the merits thereof, before suspension or termination of membership,” Kabane said.
He added that, where a member had accumulated sufficient savings in their Personal Medical Savings Account (PMSA) for a specific period, it would be in the public interest to grant medical schemes exemptions from complying with their registered rules to use their savings to offset member contributions.
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