Coronavirus: Medical aids to cough
OGONE TLHAGE and JEMIMA BEUKES
WINDHOEK
Government is currently in talks with the Namibia Association of Medical Aid Funds (Namaf) to agree on a reasonable price tag for coronavirus tests submitted through medical aids.
This is according to Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) CEO, Dr. David Uirab.
“This is a public health matter and we cannot go on the normal commercial price. So Namaf is talking to the medical aids and we are now talking to Namaf to determine what would be reasonable to cover the cost and make it worthwhile for a testing laboratory without bleeding the medical aid to dry,” Uirab said.
Namaf said medical aid schemes will not be exempted from paying for the treatment of members and their dependents infected with the coronavirus.
Association spokesperson Uatavi Mbai said while the outbreak in Namibia is a national pandemic, which requires government to treat all patients, medical aid schemes would have to pay for medical care for their members.
“Medical aid schemes will be paying service providers to treat the coronavirus,” she said.
Medical aids respond
Namibia Medical Care (NMC) principal officer Alison Begley said while the decision about how to handle coronavirus patients rested with the health ministry, NMC members would have their hospital stays covered by the fund should they end up in a private healthcare facility.
This stance was reiterated Prosperity Holdings CEO Albertus Struwig, who said coronavirus patients should not worry.
“They have full cover. It will be dealt with by us, as we will pay the service providers,” he said.
Private hospitals get ready
Private hospitals across Windhoek have also jumped into action to get wards ready to treat patients infected with the virus.
Up until recently, only government was ready to deal with positive cases linked to the worldwide pandemic, but the situation has now changed Roman Catholic Hospital matron Bernadette Shipanga said space has been identified.
“We will prepare a ward if we get cases like that. This is a national breakout, we are ready,” she said.
Mediclinic Windhoek manager Elmarie Vink also confirmed their readiness to deal with cases if called upon to do so.
“In the event that we get instructions from the ministry of health and social services to start admitting coronavirus patients, we have identified a unit and are preparing it according to the required specifications,” Vink said.
Unavailable
Lady Pohamba Private Hospital was contacted but no comment was forthcoming from manager Hannelie Botha.
Rhino Park Private Hospital manager Corna Smit was also unavailable for comment.
Members of the public are encouraged to contact the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Namibia on its 24-hour toll-free number 0800 100 100.
WINDHOEK
Government is currently in talks with the Namibia Association of Medical Aid Funds (Namaf) to agree on a reasonable price tag for coronavirus tests submitted through medical aids.
This is according to Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) CEO, Dr. David Uirab.
“This is a public health matter and we cannot go on the normal commercial price. So Namaf is talking to the medical aids and we are now talking to Namaf to determine what would be reasonable to cover the cost and make it worthwhile for a testing laboratory without bleeding the medical aid to dry,” Uirab said.
Namaf said medical aid schemes will not be exempted from paying for the treatment of members and their dependents infected with the coronavirus.
Association spokesperson Uatavi Mbai said while the outbreak in Namibia is a national pandemic, which requires government to treat all patients, medical aid schemes would have to pay for medical care for their members.
“Medical aid schemes will be paying service providers to treat the coronavirus,” she said.
Medical aids respond
Namibia Medical Care (NMC) principal officer Alison Begley said while the decision about how to handle coronavirus patients rested with the health ministry, NMC members would have their hospital stays covered by the fund should they end up in a private healthcare facility.
This stance was reiterated Prosperity Holdings CEO Albertus Struwig, who said coronavirus patients should not worry.
“They have full cover. It will be dealt with by us, as we will pay the service providers,” he said.
Private hospitals get ready
Private hospitals across Windhoek have also jumped into action to get wards ready to treat patients infected with the virus.
Up until recently, only government was ready to deal with positive cases linked to the worldwide pandemic, but the situation has now changed Roman Catholic Hospital matron Bernadette Shipanga said space has been identified.
“We will prepare a ward if we get cases like that. This is a national breakout, we are ready,” she said.
Mediclinic Windhoek manager Elmarie Vink also confirmed their readiness to deal with cases if called upon to do so.
“In the event that we get instructions from the ministry of health and social services to start admitting coronavirus patients, we have identified a unit and are preparing it according to the required specifications,” Vink said.
Unavailable
Lady Pohamba Private Hospital was contacted but no comment was forthcoming from manager Hannelie Botha.
Rhino Park Private Hospital manager Corna Smit was also unavailable for comment.
Members of the public are encouraged to contact the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Namibia on its 24-hour toll-free number 0800 100 100.
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