Let members of parliament be the first to relinquish their medical funds 

7 December 2023

Solidarity calls on those members of parliament who voted in favour of the adoption of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill to cancel their own medical aid cover with immediate effect fund and to pay those contributions to the Department of Health.

With the NHI Bill having been adopted by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) yesterday, and earlier by Parliament, Solidarity believes it to be fair that the champions of this specific universal health care scheme – with the ANC government spearheading it – would step forward as the NHI’s pioneers.

According to recent media reports, the medical funds of members of parliament cost approximately R5 500 per month (in 2021-’22). This is an amount that is 2,65 times more than the average medical fund costs.
The Parmed Fund, which specifically makes provision for members of parliament, also offers better benefits than the top plans of all other funds.

Theuns du Buisson, economic researcher at the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), says members of parliament who support the NHI apparently do not realise what consequences the scheme will have for them personally.

“Currently, the state budgets approximately R5 000 per person per year for public health services. Members of Parliament would therefore receive only about a 13th of their current benefit if the NHI were to be introduced immediately,” Du Buisson said.

“However, nothing lets reality sink in like having to experience it first-hand. Perhaps this is the only way to prevent ordinary people’s right to proper health care and their personal choice in this regard being destroyed.

“Let members of parliament then be the first to feel it. The smugness with which Health Minister Joe Phaahla sang the NHI’s praises in the NCOP and the way in which he insults the NHI’s critics leaves the impression that he would be the ideal candidate to be the NHI guinea pig.” 

Solidarity is convinced that the NHI champions would be rather reluctant to disclose their personal medical aid membership.

In all likelihood they would not part with their own medical aid easily –something that will highlight their dishonesty about the NHI’s unworkability in full colour.

In addition to the substantial expenditure in respect of the medical benefits of current members of parliament, approximately R81 million is spent per year on the medical aid contributions of former members of parliament.

“If private medical funds are supposedly unnecessary, then the current government should have little difficulty in convincing former members of parliament that to cover their medical care any further would be a waste of money,” Du Buisson said. 

“Let pioneer Phaahla and those who sing the same tune lead by example before the rest of us suffer from their folly. Meanwhile, Solidarity will pull out all the stops to put an end to this NHI folly.”

Solidarity has decided long ago to fight these plans to capture our ownership of our health in court. 

Should Pres Cyril Ramaphosa add his signature to this Bill too as the next step in this law-making process, our legal team is ready to start litigation immediately.

Issued by Theuns du Buisson, Economic researcher: Solidarity Research Institute, 7 December 2023