South Africa's Medical Aid Schemes Blasted

July 22 - A leading academic and director of the Center for Democracy that is linked to the University of Johannesburg, Steven Friedman, has lambasted the country's current medical aid system.

Friedman said that the medical aid schemes in South Africa simply cannot assist the millions of people in the country. As such the majority of the country's population remained uncovered for medical problems.

Speaking to the Board of Health Care Funders at a unique conference held this week, Friedman said: "Medical aids are not interested in people, but rather the bottom line. The most disempowering tool of the medical aid is that it is impossible to make a choice on information that you understand."

Friedman was referring to the issues that he has with the average South African medical aid being so complicated that consumers could not make an educated choice based on the information available to them.

The Director blamed the current medical aid schemes for not creating a free market in the country by not simplifying the system.

It is believed that with the introduction of a national health insurance and thus medical aid cover for everyone in the country, the medical aid industry landscape will change for the better.

In response to Friedman's comments, the managing director of the Health Care Funders, Humphrey Zokufa said: "We have to listen and don't dismiss what he said. As an industry, we assume what we are doing is right. It's a wake up call for us as we move forward."