Medical schemes for workers

Medical insurance schemes have become one of 111 the many fringe benefits being negotiated by unions. Medical insurance schemes are tied to the struggle for an adequate health service. Workers’ decision on whether or not to join medical insurance schemes has an important bearing on the operation of health services in a future democratic society. This booklet examines medical aid schemes, their advantages and disadvantages, how they operate and what possible alternatives to medical aid schemes exist. The booklet also looks at the state’s health strategy and how medical aid schemes fit into this. Chapter One of this booklet discusses the broad issues relating to medical insurance. Medical Aid Schemes and Medical Benefit Schemes are discussed in chapters two and three. Chapters four and five are for extra information. Some specific medical aid schemes are evaluated in chapter four. Chapter five looks at the tariff structure (cost) of medical services provided at Natal Provincial Hospitals. Medical Insurance means all the different types of schemes that operate to insure people against medical costs. A medical insurance could take the form of a medical aid scheme, a medical benefit scheme or other types of schemes. This-booklet concentrates on medical aid and medical benefit schemes