Africa-Press – South-Africa. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has dismissed reports that the National Health Insurance (NHI) will cost R1.3 trillion.
He said this claim is designed to anger South Africans to turn against the NHI.
He described the calculation as nothing but “mathematical trickery” saying it was cooked up by people with a vested interest in medical insurance.
Motsoaledi was responding to oral questions from Members of Parliament in the National Assembly on Wednesday as part of the social services cluster.
Motsoaledi was back in Parliament defending the implementation of the NHI, which was signed into law by the president back in May.
He also addressed the figure of R1.3 trillion which Momentum Health Solutions claims it would cost to provide each South African with the same quality of health care received in private healthcare.
“You are aware that R1.3 trillion is the total budget of the government. Now the publication of this number is disingenuous and deliberately circulated to anger the public because it would sound crazy for the state to finance this health system,” he said.
Motsoaledi said quality healthcare does not necessarily amount to expensive healthcare adding that some charges in private healthcare are hugely inflated.
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