23 Jul 2026

Assistant Minister of Health has told Parliament that as part of the approved transition arrangements, Cabinet has directed that public patients attending Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital (SKMTH), who are covered by medical aid, will continue to have their medical aid billed according to the agreed tariffs and private patients would also continue to be billed in accordance with the approved tariffs.

Answering a parliamentary question recently, the assistant minister, Mr Lawrence Ookeditse said it was important that the billing arrangement was specific to SKMTH and formed part of Cabinet approved transition framework following the hospital’s conversion from a public company to a public hospital.

“Therefore, it is not a new charging policy applicable across all public hospitals,” Mr Ookeditse said.

He explained that it, instead, preserved an existing cost recovery mechanism established during the hospitals’ previous operational model while ensuring continuity of service during the transition.

He said the ministry recognised the need for a harmonised financing approach across public hospitals.

Accordingly, the assistant minister said continued billing of medical aid beneficiaries at SKMTH should not be interpreted as the hospital operating as a private institution.

“Rather, it is the implementation of a Cabinet-approved cost recovery mechanism within a public hospital, while patients who are not covered by medical aid continue to receive services under government’s public healthcare financing and applicable hospital fee policies,” he said. He further affirmed government’s commitment to providing equitable access to healthcare service for all citizens through the public healthcare system.

Tati East MP, Mr Tlhabologo Furniture, had asked the minister why patients were still required to pay and use medical aid at SKMTH and also wanted to know whether services were free like in all other public hospitals. ENDS