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Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
PREMIER Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) has been slapped with a fresh lawsuit, bringing to more than $1,4 million the amount of money local medical firms have claimed from it within three weeks.Sanderson Opticians (Pvt) Ltd this week filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court seeking an order to recover a debt of more than $600,000 from the troubled health insurer.
The latest lawsuit by Sanderson Opticians comes hardly a week after Fairmind Clinical Laboratories of Bulawayo filed a $300,000 lawsuit against PSMAS.
In court papers filed on Wednesday, Sanderson Opticians is the plaintiff while PSMAS was cited as the defendant.
The optical services company through law firm, Calderwood, Bryce Hendrie and Partners, is demanding the sum of $677,380 from PSMAS for optical consumables and services rendered to the health insurer’s members between January 2013 and April 2015.
“From the period January 2013 to April 2015, the plaintiff provided professional services for and to PSMAS’ members in terms of optical consumables after entering into an agreement with the defendant that they would pay for those services,” said the plaintiff’s lawyers.
According to the summons, PSMAS has continuously neglected to settle the debt despite demand.
“Wherefore plaintiff prays for judgment against the defendant for payment of each monthly amount totalling $677,380 with interest at the prescribed rate calculated from the last day of each month subsequent to the month of the claim to the date of final payment,” said Sanderson Opticians’ lawyers.
They said despite admitting owing their client, PSMAS has failed, neglected or refused to settle the debt.
PSMAS has not yet filed a notice to enter an appearance to defend the summons.
Health service providers have since December last year been filing their applications at the High Court separately against PSMAS.
Three weeks ago, two Gweru eye specialists filed lawsuits at the Bulawayo High Court suing PSMAS for more than $460,000 for defaulting in settling claims from its members.
NV Patel Optical Company is demanding the sum of $250,635 from PSMAS while Dr Patel is suing the medical aid society for $214,118,55. The money is for medical services rendered to PSMAS members up to February 20, 2015.
PSMAS early this month instructed medical service providers to demand cash upfront from its members intending to receive treatment, saying the move was aimed at preventing its debt to health service providers from ballooning and avoid possible further litigation.
Online Reporter