Johannesburg - The Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has announced sweeping changes to the Medical Schemes Act which are aimed at aligning the Act with the introduction of the National Health Insurance (NHI).

According to the minister, the Medical Schemes Amendment Bill aims to introduce amendments to the act that are necessary as the implementation of the NHI will not be a once-off process but will take time.

The Medical Schemes Amendment Bill will introduce some of the following changes:

* Abolishing the rule of co-payments. A co-payment results in a patient paying half of the medical bill while the medical scheme pays the other half. Motsoaledi said patients should not be burdened with the need to pay out of their own pocket and medical aid schemes will be required to settle the bills in full.

* Abolishing the practice of labour brokers within the medical scheme environment.