JOHANNESBURG – The Black Business Council (BBC) said on Monday that it wanted to meet with Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and all the role-players in alleged racial discrimination by medical aid schemes.
The allegations are being probed after the Council of Medical Schemes set up a Section 59 investigation to probe allegations of racial profiling and withholding of payments to black and Indian doctors by medical aid schemes.
This follows the complaint by African and Indian doctors arguing that they are excessively audited by medical aid schemes and are then accused of claiming fraudulently.
They are also allegedly expected to provide confidential patient information to prove their claims are real.
At the first day of the hearings last week, black and Indian doctors testified how they were bullied by medical aid schemes who queried their claims and refused to pay, which had left some of them destitute.
They alleged that medical aid schemes demanded proof of consultation, including clinical notes, while their white counterparts were simply required to “verify” a consultation before payments were made.
The BBC – a confederation that represents black professional, business associations and chambers – said that it has met with the National Health Care Professionals Association and sought meetings with the health minister.
The business organisation also seeks to meet with major medical aid schemes and the Solutionist Thinkers Group, which represents 200 African and Indian doctors.