Parliament’s medical aid can sink NHI plan

The National Health Insurance (NHI) is where the rubber of socialist dreams will hit reality’s hard, unforgiving road.

It will be interesting to see whether ANC apparatchiks and “leaders” commit themselves – and their families – wholeheartedly to the goal of equality for all in healthcare.

ALSO READ: NHI bill misses opportunity to address fundamental and critical issues – Hospital Association

As our bloated parliament sits to consider the NHI, its members would do well to ponder their own circumstances, because they will have a lot to lose if parliament’s medical aid, Parmed, disappears along with the rest of private medical aids.

Parmed is, arguably, the most comprehensive and expensive medical scheme, with benefits richer than the top options on open medical schemes such as Momentum, Discovery and Fedhealth.

And, as you’d expect with cadres with wealth redistribution top of mind, there is a contribution to those costs by the taxpayer.

ALSO READ: NCOP rubber-stamps NHI Bill: What’s next?

That reality, perhaps even more than the pleas from business and the medical sector to revise the NHI, might prevent the idea from seeing the light of day.

The truth is that, living comfortably is second nature to politicians of all stripes in the country… and they will shy away from state health facilities as quickly as they move to put their kids in private schools.