Cape Town - The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on the National Health Insurance (NHI) has approved the proposed NHI policy, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Human Development Cluster briefing, Dr Motsoaledi said the introduction of the NHI was part of the 10 Point Plan of the Health Sector for 2009-2014.
Minister Motsoaledi said a solid foundation for the introduction of the NHI has been laid.
The first policy document went to the IMC a year ago and three issues were raised by the committee, which included the issue of primary healthcare which the NHI will be based on, the cost and the economic benefits of the scheme.
"All issues were clarified and only last week the IMC said ... that they looked at it and were satisfied and passed it. We are in the process of preparing it for the next nearest Cabinet that will sit.
"If it is approved there, then it will go for public participation - a process that will take 3 months - then from there, back to Cabinet then to Parliament to be passed as an Act," he said.
The preparation of health institutions, the auditing of human resources and the issue of equipment, among other things, would be unveiled in due course, added Dr Motsoaledi.
The NHI is to be implemented in phases from 2012 over a 14-year period. The scheme is one of the most ambitious health reforms that government will introduce.
