Ramaphosa finds his pen: President to sign NHI Bill into law

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to sign the contentious National Health Insurance Bill into law on Wednesday, 14 May.During his State of the Nation address in February, Ramaphosa joked that he was “looking for a pen” to sign it.

“The bill has arrived on my desk. I am going through the bill. I am looking for a pen,” the president said.Signing the bill into law will set into motion the government’s plans for universal health coverage by creating a unified health system that provides patients with care that is free at the point of delivery – whether at a public or private facility.

During his Sona address, the president revealed that government plans to incrementally implement the NHI, dealing with issues like health system financing, the health workforce, medical products, vaccines and technologies, as well as health information systems.“When the NHI is fully implemented they will provide cover for services not reimbursable by the NHI Fund,” it said.

“Such a move would erode the current world-class private healthcare system and further threaten the country’s already stretched healthcare provider base. “Currently, state clinics and hospitals are overwhelmed, struggling to deliver the most basic care, often inadvertently risking lives. If private healthcare can no longer alleviate at least some pressure on the public system, the NHI’s promised reforms will not be realised,” he added.

Source: Law Daily Report (lawdailyreport.net)

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