The National Health Insurance Management Authority says payments for the National Health Insurance should not be treated as a form of tax.
Authority Chief Executive Officer James Kapesa said members of the public should not mistake the National Health Insurance payments to that of other taxes such as Toll fees.
Mr Kapesa said National Health Insurance is a benefit insurance scheme where contributors will be receiving benefits in the form of medical cover.
He was speaking on Tuesday when he featured on a live Frank On Hot radio programme on Hot FM hosted by veteran broadcaster Frank Mutubila.
“I don’t think that people should equate the National Health Insurance to other forms of taxes such as Toll Fees. I have heard people saying that government has introduced another tax. That is not entirely true. This is a benefit scheme because those contributing will be allowed to access services,” Mr Kapesa said.
And Mr Kapesa has disclosed that all workers in the public sector will from July 1st 2019 start making contributions to the National Health Insurance Fund and will start accessing health care in November 2019.
He said the Authority will require a window period of about three months in order to grow the liquid and accumulate savings before the public could start accessing health care.
Mr Kapesa revealed that there will be a list of accredited public health institutions which will be equipped with necessary machinery and drugs to provide equitable health care for all.
He also disclosed that employers opting to maintain private medical health schemes will be mandated to also service the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Mr Kapesa disclosed that contributors to the scheme will be able to access basic health care together with four of their family members.
He also stated that the Authority will engage with other stakeholders such as the labour movement that are opposed to the the National Health Insurance scheme.
why should an employer who has it’s own medical scheme for it’s workers be mandated to service the national health insurance ? and what that means is that the govnt will force all employers to pay towards this. this is a wrong way of going about it. if an employer already has it’s own medical scheme it means it’s workers are already covered, they don’t need to be rolled into the national insurance scheme. let those without coverage get into that
the govnt. is scared that if they let employers have their own private medical schemes and not contribute to the new national insurance, they won’t have enough contributions. but that’s a govent’s failure, introduction a system when they know very well that very few Zambians are employed. Zambia has a lot of informal employees, who going…
This is just another fundraising exercise by Lungu and groupies.
The money raised between July and November will be pocketed by yours truly.
I truly miss the days of KK where we truly had free healthcare. This nonsense of flying to RSA for treatment was not allowed.
These days, even ministers that scratch their right hand in a car accident are flown to RSA. These ministers claim they paid for their own treatment, up to now, this same dull minister has not shared receipts with us, as he promised he would.
In 1987 the Bamako initiative was agreed upon by WHO/UNICEF to get African countries to reduce costs of healthcare by getting their populations to pay user fees for healthcare. This was to supplement the donor aid for health care.From that time National health insurance schemes have been championed. This was tried in Tanzania and Ghana and flopped. To cut a long story short..national health insurance is thwart with challenges in Africa. 1. we don’t trust our corrupt leaders. 2.Shortage of drugs in govt hospitals will frustrate people paying insurance 3.the population is poor and does not feel it can afford to part with money for health insurance 4. large proportion of people are not in formal sector so money obtained will not be sufficient 5.lack of doctors/nurses ..
Can we get hospitals that are the envy of the region? Let’s wait and see. The NHIMA should be a lean low-cost operation so that good money goes towards running hospitals and not running 4×4s abd other benefits of the NHIMA executives such as Kapesa himself.
Why do we pay PAYE, is it not for the government to give services to the people?, or is it for politicians to rape.
Four members of the family does not represent the size of a Zambian family. I demand that the number of children be increased to six (7)
Anything that goes into the Govt coffers is tax, soon Kapesa will be on a huge salary, Aircon office, SUV, big house and other benefits. The civil service health scheme has failed because Govt was failing to remit funds to care providers. Civil servants were being turned away. This is what will happen to this scheme. Fuel levy, rural electrification levy, beer levy, even toll fees are some of the unaccounted for funds. We are used to this kind of thing
Really laughable…its a deduction on a pay slip… What is it? A donation
As if you talking to children!!
Its a Tax, period.
A tax is a ‘compulsory financial charge imposed upon a taxpayer by a government’. So to say 1% of public workers salary deductible every month effective 1st July 2019 towards NHI should not be treated as a form of tax by a CEO qualified with sound financial and taxation knowledge raises serious a contradictory point of correction because because the 1% imposed is one of the examples of income tax categorised as a flat tax. The only solution to prudently manage government revenue is to instil fiscal discipline. Zambia has enough finances to provide critical basic services to its people. This is beyond more than taxing citizens to poverty.
A tax is a ‘compulsory financial charge upon a taxpayer by a government’. So to say 1% deductible from public workers salary every month effective 1st July 2019 is not a form of tax to fund NHI raises a serious contradictory point of correction because the said is an example of income tax categorised as a flat tax. The practical solution to prudently manage government revenue is to instil fiscal discipline. Zambia has enough finances to provide critical basic services to its people. This is not just another ‘double taxation’ but more than taxing citizens to poverty.
Mr. Kapesa Kindly explain. How will other members of the public besides those in the Civil service and others in formal employment be expected to contribute to this insurance scheme. Is it only for those in formal employment only? Sorry i did not listen to your programme.
A tax is a ‘compulsory financial charge imposed upon a taxpayer by a government’. So to say that 1% deductible on public workers salary every month effective 1st July 2019 is not a form of tax contributed to NHI raises a serious contradictory point of correction because the said is an example of income tax categorised as a ‘flat tax’. This is simply another authoritarian way in which citizens will be over taxed. Cry my beloved country.
The services at the hospitals are poor and so is the equipment. Lungu and his goons just want to make another pool of free money to steal and or use to access medical care in South africa. I feel for those who work for companies that have a medical scheme who will be paying for nothing.
But you guys are stealing pa zed .Where does the income tax zambians pay go to?This is daylight robbery. Lungu has said ubomba mwibala alya mwibala which has empowered people to steal.Before you could mplement this scheme you should have done more researching people are interested not. I can assure you this scheme is a failure as it is another government fundraising venture to squeeze the zambian people out of there remaining kwacha.
You guys are not ashamed of your dirt theiving tendencies. ” NAMUBELESHA SANA BECAUSE ZAMBIANS ARE PEACEFUL PEOPLE AND YOU HAVE TAKEN THEM FOR GRANTED ” There are people who have medical schemes some were else and you also want them to contribute to this useless scheme .”Lekeni ukwibila abalanda indalama imwe ba pompwe” Shame on you, ba makaka
But you guys are stealing pa zed .Where does the income tax zambians pay go to?This is daylight robbery. Lungu has said ubomba mwibala alya mwibala which has empowered people to steal.Before you could mplement this scheme you should have done more research and see if people are interested or not. I can assure you this scheme is a failure as it is another government fundraising venture to squeeze the zambian people out of there remaining kwacha.
You guys are not ashamed of your dirt theiving tendencies. ” NAMUBELESHA SANA BECAUSE ZAMBIANS ARE PEACEFUL PEOPLE AND YOU HAVE TAKEN THEM FOR GRANTED ” There are people who have medical schemes some were else and you also want them to contribute to this useless scheme .”Lekeni ukwibila abalanda indalama imwe ba pompwe” Shame on you,…
ask them what they have done with the SKILLS DEVELOPMENT MONEY THEY HAVE COLLECTED OVER THE PAST YEAR ??????????????????
have they indicated how this tax must be paid ?? To whom it must be paid ?? Have they set up the proper mechanisms for these monthly taxes ??? COme end of July I must deduct 1% from my employee and pay to whom ?????????? PLEASE TELL US HOW MUCH SKILLS DEVELOPMENT LEVY YOU HAVE COLLECTED SINCE INTRODUCED AND WHERE THE MONEY HAS GONE TO….ONCE WE HAVE A PROPER AUDITED FINANCIAL ACCOUNT REGARDING SKILL DEVELOPMENT LEVY WE CAN THEN START TALKING ABOUT THIS NEW TAX !
A tax is defined as ‘a compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government on workers’ income and business profits, or added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions’.
What does Kapeso mean when states that National Health Insurance should not be perceived as a type of Tax? Come on, shall we learn to be magnanimous, even if only once!
MFC
Ever since they started collecting my skill development levy non of my skills have been developed only their skills of theft keep being developed every day. Useless government