Medical Aids Increase Prices

The Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe has increased the fees payable by its member medical aid societies to healthcare service providers with effect from Monday (February 11).

Payments to hospitals have been increased by 30 percent, while those paid to all other service providers, including doctors and dentists, have gone up by 40 percent.

In a statement announcing the increases, AHFoZ said the increases applied to RTGS transactions.

“AHFoZ is still exploring sustainable strategies to cater for service provider groups who require foreign currency for their day-to-day operations,” the statement said.

It said that regrettably the increase had to be borne by medical aid society members.

“As such the increase is conservative in relation to some of the fees being charged. An increase that would cover 100% of the fees being charged would be both unaffordable and unsustainable,” the statement said. 

It said AHFoZ hoped that the fees review would help ease the hardships medical aid patients face in seeking healthcare services.

“AHFoZ wishes to thank all service providers who are accepting the medical aid card and not charging patients US dollars cash or any deterrent shortfall,” the statement said.