Health Insurance - Assist Universal Coverage

Private health insurance is a valuable instrument in achieving Universal coverage. The role of private health insurance was categorized into 4 options as depicted below:

-Source of primary healthcare: Health insurance will provide cover to those who are not covered by the public sector such as in the United States.
-Alternative to public healthcare: Health insurance will provide people with an option to purchasing private cover that duplicates the public healthcare such as in the United Kingdom.
-Complimentary to public healthcare: Health insurance will provide cover to share some elements that reduce the out-of-pocket expenses such as in France.
-Supplementary to public healthcare: Health insurance will provide cover health services that is not covered by the public system such as in Canada.

Culturally Competent Healthcare

The Culturally Competent Healthcare (“CCH”) framework commits stakeholders to addressing diversity goals which supports a powerful social justice argument to provide all employees with equal access and opportunity to receive quality and efficient care. The CCH framework can serve South Africa well in seeking solutions to provide Universal Health Care to all the Citizens of South Africa

Private Healthcare needs to be revamped

The private healthcare model in South Africa consist of not for profit medical schemes with Doctors, hospitals, pharmacists, administrators and managed care organisations all profiting from the medical scheme without taking any risk. Is this sustainable? I think not. An advanced HMO or Health Services Organisation that take risk and operate on a profit share basis may add the right mix to a possible debate around the private market.

Universal health care is a system of organized health-care systems built around the principle of universal coverage for all members of society, combining mechanisms for health financing and service provision.

Is it acceptable that in South Africa we just accept a system where a substantial portion of the population does not have quality access to healthcare cover? If not what can be done?