National Health Insurance: The “Shosholoza” train is already on the move!
Abstract
On 11 August 2011, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, the Minister of Health, launched the Green Paper on the National Health Insurance (NHI) during a post-cabinet media briefing in Pretoria. The NHI is expected to be an innovative system of healthcare funding which will give all South Africans access to appropriate, efficient and quality health services and affordable, quality health care, regardless of socio-economic status.1 He was succinct in his briefing that the timeline for this project is 14 years, with the first five years focused on building and preparation. Dr Motsolaedi stressed that the cornerstone of the proposed NHI is universal coverage, with a financing system that will ensure provision of essential health care to all citizens of South Africa (and legal long-term residents), regardless of their employment status and ability to make a direct monetary contribution to the NHI Fund.2
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