Minister to seek legal advice on healthcare discrimination

HEALTH Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the Council for Medical Scheme (CMS) is seeking legal opinion on appropriate actions to take following the investigation into systematic discrimination against black healthcare providers by medical schemes.

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA

Motsoaledi was responding to parliamentary questions posed by ActionSA MP Kgosi Letlape, who wanted to know the measures he intended to implement to hold medical schemes accountable for the racial discrimination that was uncovered by the Independent Section 59 Panel.

Letlape also asked whether the department has engaged or consulted with the CMS to ensure that sanctions were imposed on medical schemes found to have engaged in discriminatory practices.

In his response, Motsoaledi said CMS was in the process of procuring a firm of attorneys to develop a comprehensive legal opinion to advise it on appropriate actions to be implemented in response to the findings of the Section 59 investigation.

"This opinion will assist CMS in systematically considering the associated risks and determining how to act against those identified in the final report, as well as identifying mechanisms to legally protect individuals who have been negatively affected by the discriminatory practices uncovered," he said.