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Zimbabwe doctors say insurers owe 220 mln
dollars, will now take cash only
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[June 16, 2016]
HARARE (Reuters) - Doctors in
Zimbabwe will no longer accept patients with medical insurance from July
1 due to insurers owing them $220 million, the main doctors' association
said on Thursday, leaving thousands to pay cash or rely on underfunded
state hospitals.
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 Most doctors in Zimbabwe run private practices and some also put in
hours at private and state hospitals. Government-run hospitals, used
by the majority of Zimbabweans, often lack basic medicines and
specialist doctors and are largely shunned by patients on health
insurance.
The southern African nation has more than 20 registered health
insurers serving about 800,000 members, according to the Association
of Health Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ), which represents health
insurance firms.
In a statement, the Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZiMA)accused AHFoZ
of failing to pay or delaying payments to doctors, who were
nonetheless forced to pay taxes on funds they had not received.
"As a result of the above, health insurance firms currently owe
health services providers an estimated $220 million," ZiMA said in
the statement.
"From the 1st of July 2016 all privately practicing medical doctors
will not be accepting health insurance (medical aid cards) from
their patients until further notice."
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ZiMA president Agnes Mahomva would not say how many doctors would
comply with ZiMA's decision or the number of patients that would be
affected.
An AFHoZ spokesperson declined to comment on Thursday.
(Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
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