NCOP
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO. 646
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 25 November 2011
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 39)
Mr J M Bekker (DA-WC) to ask the Minister of Health:
(1) What are the (a) model(s) parameters and (b) assumptions that have
been mentioned in the Green Paper on National Health Insurance
(details furnished);
(2) whether these models merely phased budget increases; if not, what is
the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) whether he will provide details of such models; if not, why not; if
so, what are the relevant details?
CW795E
REPLY:
1) (a) The parameters for the costing model are based on the
International Labour Organisationâs approach to costing social
insurance programmes. The parameters that are taken into account
include the size of the user population, the service utilisation
rates of the population and the unit costs of providing the
particular service.
(b) The assumptions applied in the model take into account the
population growth including changes in demographics,
epidemiology and the services utilisation patterns of different
groups. The assumptions also cover how the changes that occur in
these key indicators of the population will impact on how
services are accessed when key barriers such as user fees are
removed. A key assumption that is included in the costing
estimates is the fact that the public sector unit costs are
enhanced by 40 percent in order to build into the costing model
the additional financial resources required to capacitate the
health system in preparation for the phased roll-out of NHI.
2) The costing model is not based on a phased budget increase. Instead,
the costing approach takes into account the financial, human and other
resources that are required to deliver quality health services to the
entire population.
3) The costing estimates that are included in the Green Paper are
preliminary estimates. The model is still undergoing refinement,
taking into account further information and analyses through
engagements between the National Treasury and the National Department
of Health.
END.