Discovery’s multimillion-rand bonuses anger customers

Medical aid subscribers have been left fuming following various reports on Discovery’s plan to distribute the large profit they made in the last financial year as detailed in their annual report.

According to Business Report, Discovery’s remuneration committee recently approved R336.6 million in bonus payments for the directors as well as management incentives after the money in the bonus pool rose by 33% when compared to the previous financial year.

The bonuses will be divided as follows: R15.8 million to be shared among seven directors, R265 million to be shared among 1134 managers, and 203 people are set to share the remaining R85.1 million.

The annual report also revealed that the company’s chief executive, Adrian Gore, took home R19.8 million in the year, including a performance bonus of R7.7 million, reports Business Report.

Former aide to Nelson Mandela Zelda la Grange shared the article and expressed her outrage at her treatment at the hands of the medical aid scheme who told her that her chronic allowance is depleted and that she must pay the last two months out of her own pocket despite paying north of R5,000 to the company on a monthly basis.

La Grange’s tweet was met with a barrage of complaints in a similar vein from fellow customers – many of whom believe that the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme is starting to look attractive as stated by La Grange.

SA'ns share their medical aid woes

Earlier this year, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi gazetted a bill detailing a plan to roll out universal health care in the country through National Health Insurance.

The bill responds to a global campaign spearheaded by the World Health Organisation and linked to the UN’s sustainable development goals to make sure that no one is left behind in accessing quality health care.

The bill – which has been met with intense opposition – is informed by a vision of ensuring equitable access to quality health services, regardless of a person’s ability to pay or whether they live in an urban or rural area. The proposed insurance fund envisages the consolidation of public and private revenue into one funding pool.

ALSO READ: South Africa cannot afford the proposed NHI – expert

The idea is to enable a more equitable system through, for example, cross-subsidisation and ensuring that essential services are made available.

All people will have to register as users of the fund at an accredited healthcare establishment or facility (whether public or private). And the fund will decide on the health benefits that the facilities will have to provide. This will depend on what resources the facility has. People will be able to pay for complementary health service benefits not covered by the fund.

To be paid, healthcare providers, such as general practitioners and hospitals, will have to register with the fund. They will have to claim for each patient they treat and will have to keep a record of diagnosis, treatment, and length of stay.

(Compiled by Kaunda Selisho)

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