Press Release by the Board of healthcare Funders of Southern Africa regarding the scrapping of the ethical medical tariff by the Health Professions Council of SA

The Board of Healthcare Funders welcomes the recent announcement by the HPCSA to scrap its ethical tariffs.
It has long been the argument of the BHF that the publication of a ‘ceiling’ tariff by the HPCSA has contributed to the cost spiral in health care.
We believe that the HPCSA’s decision will reduce the confusion faced by South African citizens at the point of healthcare service. We also believe that this decision will empower consumers to make informed decisions on the cost of healthcare procedures and consultations, and when deciding as to whether would be happy to pay out of their own pockets in the event that the costs exceed those of the medical scheme tariff.

BHF fully supports the National Health Reference Price List process which is based on true costs of providing healthcare services and therefore represents fair and reasonable costs. The decision by the HPCSA will furthermore reduce confusion amongst service providers who have had to contend with multiple tariff structures in the market.

For further information, please contact Heidi Kruger, Head of Corporate Communications on 011 5370237 or 0829051161