BHF360° | DECEMBER 2021
E M E R G I N G T R E N D S I N H E A LT H C ARE
What does the reset button do
FOR Medical scheme Members? By Josua Joubert CEO and Principal Officer of
A total reset is already upon us with dramatic changes
CompCare Medical Scheme
not only in the expectations of consumers, but also
T
their experiences. Members are stressed, they are
o be 'in survival mode' is no way to live. Yet looking back over the past 18 months and longer, our industry has perhaps become settled into a reactive state. Yes, we are all part of a system that is not without challenges. Healthcare costs that escalate beyond the rate of inflation, for example, can be a bitter pill to swallow. The implementation of NHI and the role we, the private sector, will play remains somewhat of a question mark. And dare I even mention the ongoing pandemic? But it is our own proactive behaviour that will determine our survival and it is not safe to assume that South Africans will be able to purchase private healthcare indefinitely. A total reset is already upon us with dramatic changes not only in the expectations of consumers, but also their experiences.
taking strain – medical schemes need to be prepared. We need to be ready to show up. Back to the drawing board So what is the ideal offering, the one that is not only attractive but also sustainable? Going back to the drawing board means reassessing what matters most. In the medical schemes context, value equates to meaningful benefits that wherever possible provide support without requiring members to dip into their own pockets. Realistically, so many healthcare consumers avoid getting the care they need because of the financial implications. Take mental health, for example. We know that this is one of the most underfunded areas in global health-
care and the average medical scheme in South Africa has poor psychosocial benefits. This simply cannot continue.
Mental health matters Before COVID-19 the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) reported taking around 600 calls for help per day. By September this year that number had increased sharply to 2 200 calls daily. Equally alarming are figures released by UNICEF in its 2021 report on the mental health of children, adolescents and their caregivers. The report cites a survey, which found that one out of
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