The National Health Insurance Bill

On 13 June 2023, the National Assembly passed the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill. The objective of the NHI Bill is to provide access to affordable, quality healthcare for all South Africans. The Bill is now being processed by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

Because the Bill is a Section 76 Bill (an ordinary Bill that affect the provinces), it will be extensively analysed by the provincial legislatures. If the NCOP also passes the Bill, then it will be passed on to the office of the president for approval. However, if the NCOP does not agree with it, the Bill will be sent back for further amendments and processing.

In an interview, the Deputy President, Paul Mashatile, noted that further discussion is needed before the NHI Bill is signed into law. This suggests that there may be delays before the Bill is officially passed. We will share more information about the NHI Bill when it becomes available.