According to the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) – the government’s planned National Health Insurance is in full development. Government plans to move into phase 3 of the programme in 2022.
The CMS said, In its 2021/2022 annual performance plan, that phase 3 will include mandatory pre-payment of the new scheme, contracting for accredited private
hospital and specialist services, and finalisation and implementation of the NHI Act. The NHI Bill was presented to and approved by cabinet in July 2019, and has been
presented to parliament’s health portfolio committee. It has since been subjected to an extensive public consultation process through committee roadshows, and is
scheduled for further parliamentary debates before it is presented to the president for promulgation. This current period coincides with the beginning of the second phase of the implementation of the NHI, said the CMS. The CMS sees its role as supportive and a direct role in delivering all the activities, according to the Act, that should occur in the private sector. The CMS said the planned rollout of the NHI is split into three stages, as follows:

Phase 2 (2017-2022): Development of systems and processes to ensure effective functioning and administration of the NHI Fund. These reforms are categorised into four items:

These reforms are categorised into four items:

• Financing;
• Health service provision;
• Governance;
• Regulatory.