Medical schemes accused of racial profiling

JOHANNESBURG - An organisation representing black and Indian medical practitioners is accusing medical schemes of racial profiling.

This follows a Section 59 investigation by an independent body which found that medical schemes are more likely to find black medical practitioners guilty of fraud, waste and abuse.

The Solutionist Thinking Group says non-white doctors are used as scapegoats to prop up medical scheme reserves.

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Chairperson Nomaefese Gatsheni said the practitioners are being used as scapegoats.

"The rates of the medical aids are raising for all medical aid members. The audits from black practitioners are raising," she said.

"So the question is, where is this money going?

"We had a couple of people complaining and bringing to our attention that all this thing of audits is coming from CMS neglecting their role and medical aids wanting to extort more money so they can secure their reserve.”