Joe Phaahla Discourages People From Deactivating Medical Aid Before NHI Is Implemented

• The minister of health, Dr Joe Phaahla, told South Africans not to get rid of their medical aid membership
• He spoke after the National Health Insurance Bill was passed into law when Cyril Ramaphosa signed the bill
• South Africans had a lot of questions about the NHI and how it would be implemented and were wary of the fund

With nine years of experience, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, provided insights into infrastructure challenges in South Africa at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

JOHANNESBURG – Health Minister Joe Phaahla dissuaded people from doing away with their medical aid until the National Health Insurance fund is implemented.

NHI to be implemented in four years

According to Eyewitness News, Phaahla revealed that the NHI will be rolled out between 2024 and 2028. The NHI Act states that medical aid schemes will only offer complementary services the NHI does not cover. The NHI will not reimburse the complementary services. Phaahla told South Africans not to throw away their medical scheme.

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Cyril Ramaphosa signs NHI Bill into law, video gets negative reactions from South Africans

Section 49 of the Act states that the NHI will be funded by money allocated to it annually, general tax revenue, reallocation of funding for medical scheme tax credits, generally paid to various medical schemes, payroll tax, and a surcharge on personal income tax. Section 39 of the Act allows only accredited healthcare providers to provide services to NHI-registered users.

What you need to know about the National Health Insurance

• A medical student criticised the National Health Insurance and said it would cripple the country's economy
• Various parties threatened legal action should Ramaphosa sign the NHI Bill into law
• Mmusi Maimane challenged Ramaphosa to dump his medical aid and visit a public hospital

South Africans are still against the Act

Netizens commenting on @ewnupdates's tweet on X were opposing the Act.

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Maimane challenges Ramaphosa to use public healthcare facilities before signing the NHI

Mao said:

"The public signing of the National Health Bill into an Act was just an electioneering puppet show by President Cyril Ramaphosa of the ANC, duping people into believing that they can now go to any private hospital without medical aid."

Nyawo Zeshongololo aziphumuli asked:

"How will it be executed? What structures and procedures have you developed to have it functional?"

Power 101@World said:

"You simply failed to communicate all these details, timeframes, full budget and source thereof well in advance through our many media platforms in this country. In simple terms, you aren't ready for this."

Mawonder2.0 said:

"Listen carefully, my people: this will never take off. It will take them another 20 years to 40 years."

IntermittentDuck said:

"WE cannot afford the NHI. It will never take off."

Ramaphosa signs NHI Bill

In another article, Briefly News reported that Ramaphosa signed the NHI Bill into law on 15 May.

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Many South Africans opposed the Act and voiced their frustrations and dissatisfaction with the National Health Insurance.

Source: Briefly News