NHI Feasability

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The National Health Insurance (NHI) was proposed by the African National Congress (ANC) in 2007 but until now, proposals such as these have not been taken seriously as South Africa has tried to achieve a health system that provides health care accessible to all. The core intention of this reform of the NHI is to raise up to 5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in additional taxes to achieve a total public spend equivalent to 8% of GDP. The ANC have procured 4 documents to date regarding the NHI and some proposals contain important financial and related efficiency implications which are not clear. The NHI has put forth many recommendations which will be discussed further. The NHI wants to establish an ‘NHI Fund’ which will collect revenue, pool the revenue and purchase all health services in South Africa. This fund will be managed by a Chief Executive Officer that will be appointed by the Minister of Health “similar to the way the SARS (South African Revenue Service) Head reports to the Minister of Finance”4. The NHI Fund wants to operate as a separate body from the civil service of South Africa as this is practiced internationally and international experience has shown the benefits of this. The NHI proposes that the National Department of Health control and “remain a major provider of services through its national, provincial and district level structures and facilities”. The NHI wants all purchases of the existing public health care system to be done by the NHI. They also want a district team be made to provide population health services. They propose that there should be 1 team of every 10000 people. This means that there will be 5000 teams, 5000 doctors/clinical associates and nurses, and 15000 to 20000 community health w... ... middle of paper ... ...Class and NHI The NHI plans to span the gap between the poor and the rich and therefore combat inequalities between social classes in society. It aims to provide health care on a level that is equal and fair for all South African citizens and legal residents. The objective is to offset the huge gap that is currently prevalent in South Africa that sees that people in class 1 of society have good health and a relatively high expectancy, while people in lower social classes Gender and NHI 1st for women.. etc. more affordable for men……. Race and NHI Bio medical approach and NHI The NHI Incorporates not only the biomed approach but also rthe pse model. It seeks to provide holistic medical care to partients that not only focuses on treatment of the specific ailment, but also on social, environmental and subsequent factors. Psycho-socio environmental approach and NHI

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