Chronicle Editor
Paidamoyo Chipunza, Harare Bureau
In a move that is expected to result in medical aid societies increasing members’ contributions on various schemes, the Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) has resolved to increase its reimbursement tariff by up to 40 percent.
In an interview yesterday, AHFoZ chief executive officer, Mrs Shylet Sanyanga said medical aid societies, starting from February 11, will be reimbursing hospitals 40 percent more from the current tariff.
She said all other disciplines such as general practitioners and specialists will also be reimbursed 30 percent more from the current tariff.
“We had our meeting today (Tuesday), where a resolution was made to increase our tariff for reimbursing service providers.
“This followed communication we received from service providers last December, regarding their intention to increase medical tariffs,” said Mrs Sanyanga.
She said since then, different service providers have been charging different tariffs, all of which resulted in huge co-payments and shortfalls on patients.
“The latest development is therefore, meant to cushion our members from these co-payments and shortfalls,” she said.
Mrs Sanyanga said AHFoZ was also working on a common tariff among medical aid societies for reimbursing the cost of drugs.
At the moment, different medical aid societies are reimbursing based on their internal policies.
She said these adjustments were informed by affordability and sustainability of members to contribute more to their different healthcare funders.
Mrs Sanyanga said medical aid societies were also unable to race against inflation or parallel market rates.
“As medical aid societies we cannot compete against parallel market rates, which have played a big part on inflation. We will continue being guided by affordability and sustainability of members’ contributions,” she said.
Mrs Sanyanga said it was now up to respective medical aid societies to determine the margin at which they are going to increase members’ contributions.
“We cannot prescribe how much members will now be paying to their different medical aid societies. It is now up to individual societies depending on their financial position and deliberations with their members,” she said.
This latest development comes after some medical aid societies had already increased contributions by at least 35 percent, a move that has since been criticised by members since most employers have not yet increased salaries.
However, some service providers have begun demanding US$ payments as co-payments or equivalent in bond notes regardless of a common tariff between the service providers and medical aid societies resulting in huge co-payments and shortfalls.
derick.khumalo