HEALTHCARE
nurses who really go the extra mile for their patients . Unfortunately , when there is constant shortage of hospital beds , medicines and staff , there is only so much they can do , especially in a county with such a large population that , regrettably , has a high proportion of HIV / Aids , TB and many other diseases . Then it is up to government to ensure that more hospitals are built and that there is enough staff to service them .”
NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE
Americans were facing a similar situation , which Barak Obama tackled as one of his main goals during his presidency . As of 2013 , there were around 44 million Americans who went without health insurance , accounting for about 16 % of the population . The majority of uninsured were working families and others who simply could not afford health insurance . One of the major aims of Obama ’ s ObamaCare was to help these individuals to get health insurance through expanding medical aid eligibility and offering cost assistance . By the end of 2015 , the uninsured rate had fallen below 10 %.
SA ’ s health minister , Aaron Motsoaledi , believes the current healthcare system fails to provide quality care for the majority of citizens . He believes ObamaCare reversed this situation in the US , and the proposed National Health Insurance ( NHI ) could do the same in SA .
The proposed NHI seeks to provide all citizens with access to affordable , good quality healthcare irrespective of socioeconomic status . It proposes a single , compulsory medical scheme for all , with private medical schemes being reduced to offering “ complementary services ”. A central NHI fund will buy health services from accredited healthcare providers , and all citizens and permanent residents will be covered by the NHI . However , it is yet to be implemented , so no judgment can be made as to its effectiveness .
NATIONAL HEALTHCARE IN ISRAEL
Israel has maintained a system of socialised healthcare since its establishment in 1948 , although the National Health Insurance Law was passed only on 1 January 1995 . The state is responsible for providing health services to all residents of the country , who can register with one of the four health service funds , namely Clalit ( the largest , with about 54 % of the population belonging to it ); Maccabi ; Kupat Holim Meuhedet ; and Leumit . To be eligible , citizens must pay a health insurance tax , which constitutes 5 % of their salary and is automatically deducted .
Israelis can increase their medical coverage and improve their options by purchasing private health insurance . In a survey of 51 countries in 2014 , Israel ’ s health system was ranked seventh in the world in terms of efficiency . In 2015 , Israel was ranked sixth-healthiest country in the world by Bloomberg rankings , and eighth in terms of life
“ Private healthcare exhorts exorbitant fees from its patients and does not always result in better care . I have seen better care in certain situations in public hospitals .” – South African doctor who has worked in both public and private health sector expectancy compared to the US ( which ranked 26th ).
“ Every resident of Israel is entitled to healthcare under the National Health Insurance Law , through a minimum monthly payment to the National Insurance Institute ( Bituach Leumi ), regardless of age , pre-existing conditions or current state of health ,” explains Ruti Orelowitz , senior clinic nurse and nursing mentor at Maccabi Health Services . “ Each fund offers basic coverage , including doctor and nurse consultations , laboratory services and hospitalisation .
“ Each service or kuppa also offers additional programmes with different levels of extra coverage according to your needs , at an additional monthly cost , for example , a personal doctor ,” says Orelowitz . “ The benefit of NHI in Israel is that each resident receives healthcare , services are efficient and online usage is very prominent . Patients can get blood and x-ray results online the same day and appointments are booked online too , ensuring the services in each city run efficiently . Services open early in the day till late at night , enabling normal working patterns . There are additional online free consultations through some kuppot , or a 24 / 7 telephonic nurse consult , and if extra intervention is needed , they are able to refer to an ER or get a doctor to make a home visit . There is an online telephone and internet consultation service for paediatric consultations out of hours . In addition , instead of having to go to the ER after hours , there is an emergency clinic for all sorts of ailments or problems out of hours . This emergency clinic is open on a Friday and Shabbat too , giving the opportunity to not have to be exposed to the chaos of the ER or picking up other infections , and offers a more efficient service ,” says Orelowitz .
But , the Israeli NHI is also not without its flaws , as the South African doctor in public health experienced through her family members living in Israel . “ Patients may not have to pay for consults , but they are often bounced between various doctors and numerous appointments , for which there are lengthy waiting periods , until they receive a solution . And by not having a dedicated doctor , you have to become your own health advocate , as each time you could be seeing a different doctor or nurse . Once again it comes down to the dedication of the healthcare practitioners towards their patients .”
Another doctor who lives in Israel and is currently specialising in family medicine , believes any healthcare system has limitations . “ Overall , Israel does meet its citizens ’ needs , but obviously there are still health inequalities and limited resources in certain areas or for certain conditions . The insurance system of healthcare works well in that everyone is provided with a basic level of healthcare . People who are able to afford to upgrade that package benefit from a wider range of services , which creates some inequalities , but that is obviously in keeping with our capitalist model of society . Israel ’ s medical care is very
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