Latest news with #R71m
The Citizen
17-07-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Top 10 Discovery medical claims paid in 2024 totalled R70m
To fund the highest claim would take 283 years' worth of contributions … The second highest claim was for 'major surgical procedures' in a newborn at R8.4m. Picture: Shutterstock Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) says 10 of the highest member claims paid in 2024 totalled R70.5 million. The highest, per its disclosure in a presentation at the scheme's AGM on Tuesday, was for a 75-year-old member who was paid out R9.6 million for 'care for [the] long-term use of a ventilator'. To fund this claim, it would take a theoretical 283 years' worth of contributions (nearly 3 400 months). Half of the top 10 claims were for the long-term use of a ventilator, with the youngest patient being a new-born (the second youngest was 16). There were two new-borns in the top 10 list. It says across the top 10 claims, 98% of the costs were covered by the scheme. Read more Parliament allocates R71m for medical aid for former MPs DHMS says 2 108 individuals claimed in excess of R1 million in the year. It paid a total of R45 billion in hospital claims last year, with a total of 714 000 hospital admissions. Of these, 35 000 of its members and beneficiaries were admitted to ICU. In total, it paid R83 billion in claims expenditure in 2024. A third (32%) was day-to-day, 4% was for chronic medication, 2% for maternity-related claims and 8% for oncology (nearly R7 billion). Scheme members made 2.3 million specialist visits in 2024, with 10.6 million dispensaries of over-the-counter and 14.2 million of prescribed medication. There were 28 000 babies born, 121 000 mammograms and 209 000 prostate checks conducted, and 435 000 health checks done across its members. ALSO READ: More than half of Discovery's medical aid plans saw declines in members last year Incentivising the prioritisation of health It incentivises the health checks through Vitality, which from this year has launched a far more personalised programme using Personal Health Pathways. Because this is unique to each member and dynamic, Discovery says there are more than seven million possible personal health pathways per member, across its base of 2.1 million members. Across its eligible member base, 13% have activated personal health pathways (the programme is not mandatory). In terms of so-called 'next best actions', 270 000 health actions had been completed by mid-June, with getting a flu vaccine being the top one. More than 1.1 million exercise actions had been completed, but these tend to be weekly challenges (either closing an exercise ring or walking more than a certain number of steps). More than a third of all actions had been completed by members with what Discovery calls 'emerging health risk'. This is precisely the point of personal health pathways – to make members healthier by getting them into shape to avoid chronic illnesses, or to get them to actively manage those chronic conditions actively. Completing actions offers rewards for members, either in the form of benefits in a personal health fund or Discovery Miles. The fund can be used for day-to-day benefits as a 'booster' to cover on a member's medical aid plan. So far (to mid-June), members had accumulated R137 million in their personal health funds, with nearly half of this used for pharmacy visits. ALSO READ: Sanlam pays out R6.62 billion in death and disease claims Chronic conditions and complexities DHMS says that of those with chronic conditions, 51% have one, 22% have two, 15% three and 12% four. The overlap between chronic conditions such as cardiovascular, diabetes, oncology, and mental health 'leads to increasingly complex care needs'. A member with a chronic and mental health condition is 3.5 times more at risk of admission than one with no chronic condition. It has a number of care programmes for these conditions, the largest of which is cardio care (216 000 members), followed by oncology (101 000) and HIV (82 000). In total, more than one million members benefit from these tailored programmes. ALSO READ: Increasing medical aid scheme costs: What are the alternatives? Trustees The election of trustees for DHMS, which saw aggressive lobbying by various parties given that there were three vacant spots, was completed at the AGM. There were 77 candidates vying for these positions. Joan Adams, David Charles King and Dr Max Price were elected as trustees of the scheme. Adams and Price were re-elected as they had only served a single term as trustee. The other member whose term had come to an end, Marius du Toit, was not re-elected. The scheme's board of trustees must comprise at least five and at most eight members. DHMS has seven trustees. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
TimesLIVE
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Anant Singh complains to ANC about eThekwini's 'sabotage' of film studios
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has vowed to act against eThekwini municipality officials who might be implicated in an apparent sabotage of world-renowned film producer Anant Singh's R7.5bn film studios. Singh acquired the old Natal Command defence force building along the North Beach in 2022 to make an investment of R7.5bn for the development of film and television studios and related sectors in Durban. However, the project has been stalled because the city has not yet installed water and electricity in the building, which Singh had renovated. Instead the city revalued the same property to R1bn, which Singh said was way higher than when he bought the property for R71m in 2022. Singh said this meant he would need to pay higher rates yet the building was unusable because there was no water or electricity. Speaking at the ANC engagement meeting with businesses in Durban on Tuesday, Singh told the ANC leaders that after fighting for more than 20 years to acquire the property, which he eventually received three years ago, he did not understand why eThekwini officials were sabotaging such a huge investment that would create jobs in the city. Singh said he was forced to buy a generator because the city has refused to install electricity, adding that the city has recently demanded more than R400,000 just to install an electricity meter. 'I have already lost two TV shows worth R200m which had to be recorded in Johannesburg because my studios are not yet complete because of eThekwini's inept attitude,' he said. ANC provincial task team convener Jeff Radebe expressed shock that Singh's project had not taken off, promising that the ANC would launch an investigation to find out what was happening. 'We will definitely act against the people in the city that would be found responsible for Singh's project delay,' said Radebe. eThekwini municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said: 'Since the allegations are related to a contractual matter regarding the installation of bulk infrastructure services (water and electricity), legal advice will have to be sought before responding.' Sisilana said a dispute regarding the municipal valuation of the property has been lodged by the property owner. 'However, as this matter is subject to a formal dispute resolution process in terms of the Municipal Property Rates Act, the municipality is not able to comment further at this stage. 'The matter will be adjudicated in accordance with the applicable legal framework,' said Sisilana. She said the municipal leadership has an open-door policy and continues to engage various stakeholders including business leaders on pertinent matters for the benefit of the city and its residents.
TimesLIVE
07-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
KZN health department says it owes service providers R1.7bn
The KwaZulu-Natal department of health is in a shambles and owes service providers R1.7bn. This comes after the provincial department was in the news for alleged medicine shortages. On Monday scores of service providers embarked on a protest march demanding their money. Some said the department had not paid them for more than a year. They included SMMEs, which are — according to legislation — supposed to be paid within a month of rendering services. DA KZN spokesperson on health Dr Imran Keeka called for consequences. 'The DA notes with concern that businesses in KwaZulu-Natal are owed an estimated R1.7bn by the provincial department of health. The staggering sum is revealed in response to a DA written parliamentary question,' said Keeka. He said the reply further indicated that, of this, R1.33bn fell within the 60-day to 90-day payment period. There were 1,519 unpaid invoices in the over 90-day period, amounting to just more than R71m. 'The DA notes that KZN health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi, has always been open and forthright about her department's financial woes during portfolio committee meetings. However, such a situation — the nonpayment of suppliers on time — should not have arisen in the first place or to the point where they are affecting services., Keeka said the concern arising out of the reply was that it was very possible that small and medium sized companies in KwaZulu-Natal were the worst affected. 'Equally concerning is that the MEC and acting HOD intimated, during the same meetings, that some service providers, while paid, had not paid their staff. This had led to protests, in some instances implicating the department. However, what happens within companies once the department has concluded its business with them is beyond its control.' Keeka said the department had unfortunately adopted a 'take from Peter to pay Paul' approach in a bid to resolve some of the payment issues. 'This appears to have left some companies struggling more than others. Again, it particularly affects small businesses. Regrettably, this resulted in several suppliers gathering at the department's Pietermaritzburg head office on Monday, demanding payment.' Currently the Division of Revenue Bill, or the budget, as presented by finance minister Enoch Godongwana on March 12, is withdrawn, with provinces set to table their budgets within two weeks of May 21. Once the province's budget is tabled and certainty exists, it is expected that the situation may turn around. Keeka described the situation as dire and in need of urgent attention. The KZN health department communications unit did not respond to queries.
