ATC220518: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Health on the National Health Insurance Bill [B11 -2019], dated 18th May 2022

Health

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Health on the National Health Insurance Bill [B11 -2019], dated 18th May 2022

 

The Portfolio Committee on Health (the Committee), having considered the National Health Insurance [B11-2019] (National Assembly – section 76), referred to it and classified by the Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) as a section 76 Bill, reports as follows:

 

1. The National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill [B19 - 2019] was tabled in Parliament and referred to the Committee on 8 August 2019. 
    
2. The National Health Insurance Bill seeks to provide for universal access to health care services in the Republic in accordance with the Constitution of South Africa, 1996.  The NHI Bill envisages the establishment of a National Health Insurance Fund and sets out its powers, functions and governance structures.  The NHI Fund will purchase health care services for all users who are registered with the Fund.  The NHI Bill will also create mechanisms for the equitable, effective and efficient utilisation of the resources of the NHI Fund to meet the health needs of users and preclude or limit undesirable, unethical and unlawful practices in relation to the Fund.  The NHI Bill also seeks to address barriers to access.
    
3. The Committee received its first briefing on the NHI Bill from the Department of Health on 29 August 2019.  
    
4. On 4 March 2020, the Committee received a briefing from the Department of Health on the NHI pilot districts: Evaluation of Phase 1 implementation of interventions.
    
5. In facilitating effective public participation on the NHI Bill, the Committee conducted nationwide, in person public hearings in all nine provinces, from 26 October 2019 to 24 February 2020. The public hearings were attended by 11 564 members of the public and various stakeholders across 33 district municipalities. A total of 961 oral submissions were heard by the Committee during these hearings.
    
6. Additionally, the Committee conducted virtual public hearings from 18 May 2021 to 23 February 2022. The Committee received oral submissions from individuals and various groups such as professional associations, civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, researchers, lobby groups, academics, traditional healers, public health entities, statutory bodies, government departments, sector experts, healthcare funders, medical aid schemes, healthcare administrators, hospital groups, political organisations, labour unions and other interested stakeholders.
    
7. In addition to the provincial and virtual public hearings, the Committee received approximately 338 891 written submissions from the public. The written submissions were submitted electronically (via email) and in hard copies.  
    
8. The Department of Health responded to the issues raised during the public hearings on the 29 March 2022.

National Assembly Rule 286(4)(i) requires that “[t]he committee after due deliberation, must consider a motion of desirability on the subject matter of the Bill and, if rejected, must immediately table the Bill and its report on the Bill.” Based on all the input received and engagements on the NHI Bill, a motion of desirability on the subject matter is placed before the Committee as required by National Assembly Rule 286(4)(i) to vote on.

Votes in favour of the motion on the desirability of the Bill:       7 Members (Dr KL Jacobs, Mr TB Munyai, Ms A Gela, Dr X Havard, Mr EK Siwela, Mr NV Xaba and Ms MD Hlengwa.

Votes rejecting the motion on desirability of the Bill:                4 Members (Ms M Clarke, Ms ERL Wilson, Dr S Thembekwayo and Mr P Van Staden)

 

           

 

Report to be considered.