Health benefits & Housing allocation list for military veterans: DMV & DoH briefings; BRRR

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Defence and Military Veterans

23 October 2019
Chairperson: Mr V Xaba (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

Available here once adopted: BRRR 2019 

The Department of Military Veterans briefed the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans on the accessing of health services by military veterans.

The DMV said that access to healthcare was defined as the ease with which a military veteran was able to obtain the needed medical services. The Department had entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department of Defence in 2015 to use the South African Military Health Services (SAMHS) facilities for military veterans. SAMHS was currently the sole service provider of healthcare services for the veterans. Where there were limitations, SAMHS out-sources some of the healthcare services to both the Department of Health and private healthcare facilities. Military veterans were expected to pay when they self-refer to Department of Health hospitals in terms of the uniform patient fee schedule.

The DMV national database had 79 509 military veterans registered. Around 76% of those registered were statutory members, while 24% were non-statutory. A total number of 17 748 (22%), excluding the deceased, had applied for the benefit and been granted healthcare services. Of the 24% registered as military veterans, only 9 247 (11%) of the non-statutory members had been granted authority to access healthcare services.

There was a budget of R65 million for 2019/20 financial year for the 17 748 military veterans to access healthcare services through SAMHS facilities. 5 792 veterans actively accessed healthcare services on an annual basis. In the 2018/19 financial year, the DMV had paid SAMHS a total of R107 million, including accruals of R12.1 million. The average cost per annum per military veteran had been estimated at R3 662, but the reality was that the DMV had spent an average of about R16 350 per veteran who accessed services. The DMV had paid SAMHS a total of R314.6 million from 2014/15 financial year to date.

The DMV had challenges related to the transportation of veterans currently referred to SAMHS; a lack of medical resources; and the Department not having the capacity to function as a healthcare administrator. It had requested information from service providers like medical schemes and primary healthcare network providers to assist in establishing better solutions, in order to address the current SAMHS challenges. There was also a project to clean the database and to finalise the verification of all the members on it.

Members of the Committee wanted to why there was a category of military veteran that was classified as ‘unknown’. Why was the DMV not issuing an identification card specific to military veterans? They wanted to know if it was possible to move some of the health facilities so that they were closer to more military veterans. Why was there such a discrepancy between the estimated expenditure and the actual expenditure? Why was there no integration in the military veterans’ system?

Meeting report

Department of Military Veterans: Healthcare Benefit Presentation

Lieutenant General Derrick Mgwebi, Acting Director-General: Department of Military Veterans (DMV), told the Committee that the DMV had entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department of Defence in 2015 to use the South African Military Health Services (SAMHS) facilities for healthcare services to military veterans. The SAMHS was currently the sole service provider for healthcare services for military veterans. Where there are limitations, SAMHS out-sources some of the healthcare services to both the Department of Health and private healthcare facilities. Military veterans were expected to pay when they self-refer to Department of Health hospitals in terms of the uniform patient fee schedule.

The DMV’s national database had 79 509 military veterans registered. Around 76% of those registered were statutory members, while 24% were non-statutory. A total number of 17 748 (22%), excluding the deceased, had applied for the benefit and had been granted healthcare services. Of the 24% registered as military veterans, only 9 247 (11%) of the non-statutory members have been granted authority to access healthcare services.

He said that 17 748 military veterans had access to healthcare services through SAMHS facilities against a budget of R65 million for the 2019/20 financial year. 5 792 of these military veterans actively access healthcare services on an annual basis. In the 2018/19 financial year, the DMV had paid SAMHS a total of R107 million, including accruals of R12.1 million. The average cost per annum per military veteran was estimated at R3 662. The reality indicated that the DMV had spent an average of about R16 350 per military veteran who accessed services. They had paid SAMHS a total of R314.6 million from the 2014/15 financial year to date.

Lt Gen Mgwebi said that they faced challenges related to the transportation of military veterans who were currently referred to SAMHS; a lack of medical resources; and the DMV not having the capacity to function as a healthcare administrator. A team consisting of office-bearers from the Departments of Health and Defence, as well as Military Veterans, had been put together in order to come up with solutions to these challenges.

Discussion

The Chairperson wanted to know about the military veterans that were designated as ‘unknown’ in the database.

Ms Caroline Mongali, Director: Healthcare and Wellness, DMV, said that ‘unknown’ referred to military veterans who were registered on the database, but whose place of residence was unknown.

Mr J Maake (ANC) said that the Act referred to an identity (ID) card to be issued by the Department of Defence. Why was the card not being issued to military veterans?

Lt. Gen Mgwebi replied that the DMV had not managed to produce the cards. However, they had reached out Department of Transport for assistance. There was currently a pilot project in KZN and Gauteng looking at addressing this very problem.

Mr Maake recommended using the services of the Government Printing Works (GPW).

Mr M Shelembe (DA) wanted to know if the South Africa Cape Corp’s request to be recognised as a military veterans association had been acknowledged. He wanted to know if some of the health facilities could be moved to other areas so that more military veterans could be reached. He asked about the difference between the estimated expenditure and actual expenditure.

General Noel Ndhlovu, Deputy Surgeon General, SAMHS, said that the budget of R65 million was not sufficient for the amount of Military Veterans that require healthcare services. The discrepancy was a result of a number of factors, chief of which were the accruals from the previous financial year. This meant that the DMV would sometimes have to pay for services rendered a long time ago.

He said that the Cape Corps was recognised as part of the South African Defence Force (SADF), and were already on the database . There would be no standalone acknowledgement of the formation.

Mr S Marais (DA) wanted to know why the military veterans system was not integrated. Why could the MoU with the Department of Health not be extended? Why were the no sick bays, and then referral?

General Ndhlovu said that there was already engagement with the Department of Health about extending the MoU. The sick bay system was in place for the regular force, but not for veterans.

Update on Housing

Lt Gen Mgwebi said that 3 597 applications had been processed. 1 130 applicants had received housing, but 296 had been denied due to not meeting the income criteria. Five applicants had died while applications were being reviewed.

Mr Maake wanted to know the parameters of the means test.

Lt Gen Mgwebi replied that an application would be declined if the family income exceeded R125 000 per year.

Adoption of Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report (BRRR)

The BRRR for the Department of Defence was adopted with amendments.

The BRRR for the Department of Military Veterans was adopted with amendments.

The BRRR for entities was adopted with amendments.

The meeting was adjourned.

 

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