Polmed and GEMS will Also be Hit by the NHI

Dear Solidarity Member

Neither Polmed nor GEMS will continue to exist, at least as we know them at present, when the
proposed Nation Health Insurance (NHI) fully comes into force. Although it was indicated earlier
that the South African Police Service (SAPS), and therefore Polmed, will be exempt from the NHI,
this is not the case in the NHI Bill as it was accepted by parliament and the National Council of
Provinces last year.

In section 3 of the NHI Bill it is clearly stated that the only people exempt from the NHI are members
of the National Defence Force and members of the State Security Agency (SSA). The SAPS will no
longer have its own medical aid scheme that offers comprehensive coverage. Although Polmed
argued that they, as representatives of the SAPS, should be grouped together with the SSA and
the defence force as is the case in the Constitution, this was not reflected in the NHI Bill. According to the NHI Bill, medical aid schemes will only be able to offer supplementary cover for
medical services that are not covered by the NHI. As it is phased in, the NHI will take over more
services, and medical aid schemes will then be prohibited from covering these services. With full
implementation of the NHI, Polmed will no longer be allowed to cover any medical services, apart
from those which are considered non-essential by the NHI.

In their presentation during the public participation process about the NHI, Polmed particularly
focused on the emotional burden and accompanying psychological issues that police members
have to face, as well as the fact that police members’ lives are in danger on a daily basis. From
this we can conclude that Polmed will cover psychological and counselling services in particular,
or contract their own psychologists and counsellors, should the NHI allow it.

However, for general medical care, police members will also be at the mercy of the NHI’s
extensive referral process, just like the general public.

In all probability, GEMS will also cease to exist completely because the state considers the NHI to
be comprehensive enough, and it would therefore not make sense to provide a medical aid
scheme that offers supplementary coverage to general public service employees.

It is still uncertain what Polmed will look like after the full implementation of the NHI, and whether it
will still exist. What is certain, is that it will no longer be the comprehensive medical aid scheme it is
today. This makes it even more important to prevent the NHI from ever being implemented.

Regards,

Theuns du Buisson
Economic Researcher: Solidarity Research Institute