Paidamoyo Chipunza Harare Bureau
THE Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe has put in place measures to assist medical aid card holders who would have been turned away by doctors come July 1 2016, AHFoZ chief executive Mrs Shylet Sanyanga has said. In a statement released yesterday, Ms Sanyanga said any member whose card would have been rejected by their doctor should contact their respective medical aid society immediately.

“Medical aid members and beneficiaries are therefore advised that in the event that their usual doctor is no longer accepting your medical aid card, kindly contact your medical aid for assistance.

“Medical aid societies have put in place arrangements to assist their members whose doctors will be rejecting the medical aid card,” she said.

Mrs Sanyanga said AHFoZ had assurance from the majority of the doctors whom they had already been dealing with that they will continue treating patients on medical aid.

“AHFoZ wishes to advise members covered under any of the medical aid societies in Zimbabwe that the majority of general practitioners and specialists have confirmed that they will continue accepting medical aid cards even after 1 July 2016,” she said.

She said medical aid societies had been checking with the doctors that do business with them and the same doctors assured the health funders that they will continue accepting medical aid cards.

Mrs Sanyanga, however, said AHFoZ will continue to engage with the doctors so that those who intend to go on cash might consider reviewing their position.

“AHFoZ continues to engage so that those doctors who intend to go on cash can review that position, considering the difficulties that are obtaining in the environment.”

General and specialist doctors have vowed to stop accepting medical aid cards with effect from July 1 arguing that majority of the health funders were either not paying claims on time or were paying less than the gazetted tariff.

The doctors, through the Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZiMA), on Monday reaffirmed their position to only attend to cash patients if Government fails to deregister all defaulting medical aid societies.

Government had earlier warned the health funders to pay up their dues or risk deregistration.

A majority of the medical aid societies were given six months temporary licenses, which expire on June 30.

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