The Government Employees’ Medical Scheme (Gems) and the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) went to court on Sunday to block the public release of an interim report about racial discrimination against doctors by local medical schemes.
It was due to be released at midday on Sunday at a press conference, but, according to the court documents, the applicants claim “scathing allegations and findings in relation to Gems (and others)”.
And the facts that the state-owned medical aid has not seen the interim report or the investigation’s terms of reference, nor has it been given an opportunity to comment on it, make the public release a contravention of the Medical Schemes Act, the applicants claim.
Gems fails to block interim report on racial discrimination against doctors by medical schemes Franny Rabkin > By Franny Rabkin - 19 January 2021 - 11:10 The order clears the way for the release of the interim report, which according to the application papers makes “scathing allegations and findings in relation to Gems (and others)”. Stock photo. Image: 123RF/Prudencio Alvarez
The Pretoria high court has struck from the roll the application by the Government Employees Medical Scheme (Gems) and the Board of Healthcare Finders to interdict the public release of an interim report that makes interim findings about racial discrimination against doctors by medical schemes.
Panel investigating claims of racism against Medical Schemes
‘Degrading, humiliating, and distressing’ – Section 59 investigation finds medical schemes racially profiled black health practitioners. The findings of investigation stemming from allegations from black doctors were released this week, despite attempts to block in in court.
Note- this story has been updated since it was published to include Discovery Health comment – Court action could not keep the damning findings of racial profiling of black doctors by medical aid schemes from public view.
A High Court judge has handed down a ruling ordering that a report revealing Medical Schemes racial profiling of doctors and health workers should be released to the public.