Chronicle Editor
Prosper Ndlovu
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ZIMBABWE’S post-retirement health care support model is inappropriate as its premise that one would continue to pay for medical aid even after retirement leaves many pensioners exposed to several health risks, the Insurance and Pension Commission (Ipec) has said.
According to the Zimbabwe National Pensioners Forum Trust (ZNPFT), access to medical services is an uphill task for most retirees who often struggle to raise funding for critical medical expenses.
Head of the pensions directorate at Ipec, Mr Cuthbert Munjoma, says the medical insurance aspect is an area of concern as part of their policy advice to the Government.
He, however, clarified that in Zimbabwe medical aid schemes are not regulated by Ipec as they are registered under the Ministry of Health and Child Care with the Association of Healthcare Funders also having a role in that respect.
“The model for post-retirement healthcare support in Zimbabwe is not ideal for pensioners because it’s premised on the idea that I will continue to pay for medical aid when I am now retired. We believe pensioners are exposed,” said Mr Munjoma.
“When you are retired you are more vulnerable and that’s the time when you need health care support the most, you now have BP (hypertension), arthritis, and diabetes among others.
“So, we don’t think the current model is appropriate because it’s premised on continued payment of medical aid post-retirement. So, we need as a country to come up with a model, which is more of long term where one contributes now and upon retirement you enjoy the benefits.”
Mr Munjoma was responding to question time during a recent journalists mentorship programme jointly organised by Ipec and Nssa, which was held virtually.
While the Government provides free medical attention at public hospitals for the elderly, ZNPFT chairperson, Mr Winos Dube, has said the biggest challenge comes when one has to buy prescribed drugs and getting other critical services that are not available in public health centres.
“The health support situation is a serious challenge to pensioners as we cannot afford the available medical aid schemes like those currently employed. We only have to rely on Nssa allowances, which are just but peanuts,” he commented.
“We desire a situation whereby Nssa could set up clinics specifically for us retirees. They once rolled out a mobile clinic and stopped. As things stand it’s like once you fall sick as a pensioner you have nowhere to go but just to face death. It’s really an uphill task.”
Mr Munjoma has said resolving the issue of the national health insurance scheme for retirees was crucial and hoped that the efforts being championed by the Ministry of Health and Childcare would yield positive fruit.
“This is envisaged to be one of the pillars under Nssa. I believe it will go a long way in addressing these needs.
“All I can emphasise is the need for a consultative approach, we understand there are developments taking place but as an industry, we are not involved but we believe should we get to the discussion table, we can also share some insights, which we hope the current gap that we are observing is going to be closed,” he said.
The concern over healthcare cover for retirees comes at a time when most surveys have shown that medical insurance clients in Zimbabwe are not fully satisfied with the quality of service offerings by the industry in terms of quality dimension and reliability, among others.
In the context of prevailing exchange rate volatility, customers have also expressed concern over alleged differential treatment between those who contribute to medical aid schemes in foreign currency and those who pay in local dollars, who are often directed to pay top-ups.
In some instances, members of the public have voiced concern service quality was lower in public-owned centres when compared to privately-owned medical insurance companies.
Online Reporter