What Parirenyatwa said about the doctors and medical aid societies debacle- Full debate in Parliament

*HON. MUZONDIWA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker.  Minister, I heard you talking about Cuthbert Dube.  There are rumours that you were also given money by PSMAS.  Is it not the reason why PSMAS ended up experiencing financial challenges?  Thank you.                         

THE ACTING SPEAKER:  Order, order.  Hon. Member, do you think that is a clarification that you would want from the Minister – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.] – No.

 HON. P.D. SIBANDA:  Thank you Hon. Speaker.  I think my first question was not satisfactorily answered by the Hon. Minister.  My question is, where was the Minister until the situation deteriorated to the level where it is now – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –  The Hon. Minister answered only on the part of the disagreement between the medical service providers and the insurers, which he said started in 1992.  I am sure the coming in of ZIMRA and the garnishing of accounts of medical practitioners did not start in 1992; it started two or three years ago.  I am basically saying, why did the Minister have to wait until ultimatums were given by medical service providers?  Where was he?

 My second question is on the issue of medical insurers investing in medical facilities.  Is that not caused by the fact that medical service providers are charging exorbitant fees?  Therefore, medical insurers in order to reign in the costs, have decided to invest in their own medical facilities.  Finally, maybe I need to be educated.  What are the advantages of price fixing in the medical field?  Why do you not allow free competition so that medical practitioners can charge whatever they think is good for their business instead of fixing prices?  Thank you.

 HON. B. TSHUMA:  I followed the Minister very well on the regulatory gap involved in this matter.  There has been a particular incident where employers – and Government has been unexamplary in this matter, where employers collect remittances from employees and they do not remit to the insurance companies.  I want to know from the Minister what was there in his offer in terms of providing for that gap? Thank you.

 +HON. D.M NDLOVU:  Thank you Mr. Speaker.  My question is directed to the Minister.  I wanted to know whether he knows that most of the doctors are not accepting medical aid cards, they want cash up front.  After that, you will be directed to go and buy medication using cash as well.  If you get the medication, you have to take the receipt to the medical aid society on your own and we never received a refund.  The second question second is, in the medical field we have a proverb which says prevention is better than cure. If the Minister has to wait for the damage before taking any precaution with the signs that were there, indicating that there was a problem with the doctors not accepting the medical aids. For example, using the proverb that I gave, why did they not try to take precautions measures before having such damage? What is it that is being done on such issues Minister?

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