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Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Senior Health Reporter
Medical aid societies will soon be placed under their own independent regulatory authority overseen by the Ministry of Health and Child Care rather than falling under the proposed Insurance and Pensions Commission Act.

Speaking on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said medical aid societies should be regulated.

“Cabinet noted that since medical aid societies are not for profit enterprises and represent members’ efforts to pool funds to assist in covering health bills and expenses, it is best international practice for such entities to be regulated by independent authorities with expertise to deal with the complex and peculiar aspects of the medical industry and should be under the oversight of the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

“Accordingly, Cabinet approved that medical aid be separated from general insurance, that is, exclusion of medical aid societies from the Insurance and Pensions Commission Bill,” she said.

The Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) last week said medical aid societies were adjusting contributions to try and catch-up with healthcare service provider rates, to narrow or eliminate the shortfall gap.