What role for medical schemes - if any - once NHI is implemented?

Dr Ron Whelan (CEO of Discovery Health) joins John Maytham.

Listen below.

What does the future of medical schemes look like in light of the National Health Insurance Act?

Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism put the question to returning Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi this week.

Section 33 of the Act limits medical schemes to a complementary role once the NHI is ‘fully implemented’.

It's a controversial provision, but Motsoaledi says he will not be moved.

Whelan says the scrapping of medical schemes is a very long way off.

"We need to recognise that this is a very, very long term project... It's going to take several years, if not decades."

- Dr Ron Whelan, CEO - Discovery Health 

"We see no change to medical schemes for the forseeable future."

- Dr Ron Whelan, CEO - Discovery Health 

Whelan says what remains to be determined is the definition of 'fully implemented'.

"If the services provided by the NHI are narrow and limited, then medical schemes will have a big role to play."

- Dr Ron Whelan, CEO - Discovery Health 

Whelan says it comes down to money.

"The Department of Health has indicated that we need in excess of an additional R200 billion per annum to fund the NHI in its current form and that doesn't get us anywhere close to the benefits medical scheme members enjoy currently."

- Dr Ron Whelan, CEO - Discovery Health 

ALSO READ: 'We don't need NHI. We need to fix what we've got' - Dr Kgosi Letlape, ActionSA

ALSO READ: My door is open to discuss NHI – Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.