The Sunday News
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Association of Healthcare Funders Association of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) and Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZiMA) have agreed to carry out a scientific tariff study with a view to setting a standardised fee for medical seekers.
The development is expected to bring relief to medical aid card holders and end the tiff that existed between the two organisations as some doctors were now demanding cash up front. The scientific tariffs’ study is also expected to bring uniformity and transparency in medical fees.
This will also see the country migrating to the World Health Organisation (WHO) International Classification of Diseases (ICD10) coding, which is the standard diagnostic tool for epidemiology, health management and clinical purposes.
Healthcare seekers had over the recent years carried the burden of paying in cash for medical services despite them having up to date medical aid facilities as service providers demanded cash up front.
However, AHFoZ and ZiMA seem to have come round the corner as both are now carrying a research on a scientific tariff.
Officially opening the AHFoZ all stakeholders meeting here on Friday, deputy minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Aldrin Musiiwa said the development was welcome as it puts an end to perennial squabbles.
“I must commend AHFoZ and ZiMA for resolving this impasse by proposing and commissioning a research into the costs of both service providers and funders as well as the affordability of health service costs and medical aid membership fees in the current economic environment,” said Deputy Minister Musiiwa.
He said the objective of the scientific study was to come up with a position that was fair to all parties and bring transparency to fee setting.
“The nation has been eagerly waiting for this researched tariff to ease the burden of shortfalls. Access to healthcare is itself a critical part of ensuring the citizens the best quality life. Medical Aid Societies and other health funders play an important role in making healthcare services available to their by paying clients,” he said.
AHFoZ chief executive Mrs Shylet Sanyanga said the study commenced in July and was due for completion on 4 October. Both AHFoZ and ZiMA managed to agree in principle on important projects such as the need to conduct a scientific study on tariffs.
“The scientific study has the collective support of AHFoZ and ZiMA and was given the nod by the Minister of Health and Child Care. We have also agreed on the need to migrate to the W.H.O (ICD10) coding,” she said.
Government commissioned the roll out of ICD10 training last year. The targeted migration date to ICD10 coding is January 2019.
The results of the study will be first presented to the Minister of Health and Child Care and then shared with other stakeholders. The conference started on Wednesday and ended yesterday under the theme: “The healthcare ecosystem and quality of life.” -@ncubeleon
