Thread by @katjanechild

The competition com inquiry into pvt healthcare and why we consumers pay so much has been going on since 2014 (after court battle in 2013). Now a lack of funds at Comp Comm. has stopped it.
It's a waste - given the detailed analysis, findings & the millions spent by all involved

Medical aid administrators, doctors' groups, hospital groups spent huge legal fees and time describing health issues, difficulties and proposing solutions.
Such top lawyers were involved -ultimately the private consumer will pay for this,
And what has come of it...a pause.

The preliminary findings suggested that the government had shown "inadequate" stewardship of the sector.

Yip, what seemed to be a way to scapegoat pvt health care- turned back at govt for its dodgy regulations that drive up prices/cause issues. Now ending of commission stopped

One thing that was found was that the more hospitals built- the more operations -and procedures there were- The more ICU beds- the more were used. Too much healthcare availability was driving over use = which reduces money in medical aid stokvel and ups medical aid premiums

Another finding the state offered no competitive alternative to private- we know that but it was said. Remember, competition drives down costs and government's healthcare provision is no threat to pvt health due its poor state.

Another finding was that there is no measurement of doctor quality, of hospital outcomes, of what works and doesn't- of which operations benefit patients and which have bad results- and it was proposed that doctors groups start measuring. This is done in academic state settings

Another finding was that consumers were confused and couldn't determine which medical aid offered better value for money. Its nonsensical. Consumers screwed We can compare different phones/cars/laptops but cant compare medical aids. They suggested standardized basic benefits.

Then the monopoly of Discovery Health was mentioned- Its administers medical aids. "Discovery Health has, over a sustained period of time, earned profits that are a multiple of those of its main competitors‚ with no sign of effective challenge from incumbent or new firms."

Discovery Health earnings were erased from prelim report and replaced with pictures of scissors. We just know they are doing very well - and yet the inquiry found their huge size didn't translate into discounts to med aid members. Medical aids pay admin fees to DH

The three hospital groups- Life, Mediclinic and Netcare were very dominant - with some more dominant in different provinces. But their earnings weren't seen as abnormal. But now 4 years of work - and legal battles before and during - all on hold

It feels like the very long, very expensive commission into healthcare only made the big lawyers involved rich. It didn't give the health minister the ammunition he wanted against private sector- but instead made govt look bad.
It all seems like a massive expenditure for nothing