SSC ups its medical cover

By: STAFF REPORTER

THE Social Security Commission (SSC) yesterday announced an adjustment of its medical aid tariffs to bring them in line with the amounts paid by private medical aid funds.

Since the inception of the SSC in 1995, the tariffs it paid to

doctors treating people injured at work have been lower than the

amounts paid out by private medical aid funds.

Private medical aid funds' tariffs are guided by the Namibian

Association of Medical Aid Funds (Namaf).

 

SSC spokesperson Rino Muranda said yesterday that the difference

in tariffs had at times caused tension between the SSC and private

doctors and hospitals.

 

This had even led to a situation where some doctors refused to

treat injury-on-duty cases, he told reporters yesterday.

 

"We believe the gazetting of the newly adjusted tariffs is not

only a historical milestone and a positive achievement for the

Commission, but will also go a long way in serving the interest of

our members, while at the same time taking care of the business

interests of our service providers," Muranda said.

 

He appealed to more doctors and medical facilities to start

treating injury-on-duty cases, while expressing gratitude to those

who have been doing it all along.

 

"We hope that you will continue to assist our members to

ultimately ensure that Namibia has a healthy and productive

workforce with improved socio-economic conditions as we march

towards the realisation of National Development Goal (Ndp) 3 and

Vision 2030," he said.

 

The target of NDP 3 is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

in the country between 2007 and 2012.

 

The new SSC tariffs were approved last year, but were only

gazetted last month.

 

Private medical aid funds' tariffs are guided by the Namibian

Association of Medical Aid Funds (Namaf).SSC spokesperson Rino

Muranda said yesterday that the difference in tariffs had at times

caused tension between the SSC and private doctors and

hospitals.This had even led to a situation where some doctors

refused to treat injury-on-duty cases, he told reporters

yesterday."We believe the gazetting of the newly adjusted tariffs

is not only a historical milestone and a positive achievement for

the Commission, but will also go a long way in serving the interest

of our members, while at the same time taking care of the business

interests of our service providers," Muranda said.He appealed to

more doctors and medical facilities to start treating

injury-on-duty cases, while expressing gratitude to those who have

been doing it all along."We hope that you will continue to assist

our members to ultimately ensure that Namibia has a healthy and

productive workforce with improved socio-economic conditions as we

march towards the realisation of National Development Goal (Ndp) 3

and Vision 2030," he said.The target of NDP 3 is to eradicate

extreme poverty and hunger in the country between 2007 and 2012.The

new SSC tariffs were approved last year, but were only gazetted

last month.

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