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Kevin Aron, Principal Officer at Medshield Medical Scheme

The missing middle: Healthcare affordability must be engineered, not diluted

South Africa’s healthcare debate often focuses on two distinct but separate sectors: a resource-constrained public sector and a high-cost private system serving a relatively small share of the population. Yet the most pressing pressure point lies between these two extremes.

Healthcare reform must be built on stability, not slogans

JOHANNESBURG - Healthcare policy in South Africa has become emotionally charged. While National Health Insurance (NHI) is often presented as an inevitable endpoint, medical schemes are portrayed as temporary structures awaiting replacement. The 2026 Healthcare Budget tells a more sober story. What stood out to me was not dramatic reform, but restraint. There is no new NHI tax. The government kept medical tax credits and did not accelerate the implementation timetable. Instead, the focus is on stabilising the fiscus, strengthening public systems, and restoring credibility. In my view, that signals something important: the South African healthcare reality is beginning to anchor the healthcare conversation.

Routine health checks matter more than you think

Often, the idea of going to the doctor only crosses our minds when we're experiencing symptoms of illness. But in reality, the most powerful step you can take for your long-term health is identifying problems before they start. That is where preventative care, and in particular Health Risk Assessments (HRAs), play a crucial role.

2026 must be about prediction, prevention, equity and innovation

South Africa's healthcare system stands at a crossroads. For too long, we have focused on treating illness once it appears rather than preventing it. The impact is clear: rising chronic disease, mounting pressure on hospitals, and a system pushed beyond its limits. Yet we now have an opportunity we cannot ignore. Advances in technology, data and new care models give us the chance to shift away from reactive "sick care" to a system that gets ahead of problems before they grow, thus predicting and preventing as the way to manage healthcare.

Value-based care: rebuilding South Africa’s healthcare future

Johannesburg - Michael Porter, one of the world's foremost Harvard thinkers on strategy and competitiveness, defined value in healthcare as the health outcomes achieved per unit of cost spent. In other words, actual value is not about how much activity the system produces, but about how well it improves people's health relative to the resources consumed. It is a deceptively simple definition. Yet South Africa's healthcare system continues to operate on a vastly different model: fee-for-service. In this system, providers are paid for the number of consultations, tests, or procedures performed, not for the health outcomes they achieve. The result is a system where incentives are misaligned, costs are spiralling, and patients, the people the system is supposed to serve, often fall through the cracks and do not gain the intended benefits from the healthcare ecosystem. The cracks in the fee-for-service system

What medical schemes mean by “risk stratification” – in simple terms

Johannesburg - Chronic disease is one of the biggest drains on both our health and our wallets. Too often, we treat symptoms instead of causes, thus reacting late, spending more, and achieving poorer outcomes. At Medshield Medical Scheme, we're breaking that cycle by focusing on personalised prevention. Through risk stratification, digital screening, and human coaching, we intervene earlier, support members better, and bend the long-term cost curve in the right direction.

Good governance is the cornerstone of sustainable healthcare

Johannesburg - In an era where trust defines longevity, good governance is no longer a corporate formality; it is the foundation of sustainable healthcare. For medical schemes, it determines how effectively they manage risk, ensure accountability, and build the confidence of members who rely on them for their well-being.

The digital future is convergence!

By Alpheus Mangale, Seacom Group CEO

When tech visionaries such as Bill Gates spoke of a "digital future" in the 1990s, few could have predicted just how accurate that would become. Back then, the internet, mobile phones, and digital media were only beginning to reshape industries, communication, and daily life. They were laying the foundations for even greater innovation.

Supporting mental health – prioritising access in a time of rising pressure

JOHANNESBURG - Last week, South Africa joined the rest of the world in marking World Mental Health Day (10 October). It is a significant opportunity to shed light on mental health, reduce stigma, and foster open conversations. However, here is the question: should mental health remain a once-a-year concern, or must we make continuous access and implementation our daily priority?

Why your “why” matters when choosing a medical aid

JOHANNESBURG - Healthcare is one of the most important long-term investments you will ever make. Yet for many South Africans, selecting a medical aid can feel overwhelming – with too many plans, too much jargon, and too little time. As a result, people often end up either over-insured, paying for benefits they never use, or under-insured, left exposed when they need care most.

Why climate change is reshaping health and healthcare funding

JOHANNESBURG - When we consider the threats to our health, we tend to focus on the obvious: chronic illnesses, poor nutrition, or physical inactivity. However, another force is quietly accelerating health risks and driving up medical costs: climate change.

Medshield is committed to building a sustainable healthcare future

JOHANNESBURG - Are you curious about what makes businesses stand out in our current environment? It's certainly not about the bottom line and the financials anymore. It's about how they impact the world – the environment, the societies in which they operate, and their governance structures. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles have become indispensable in a world grappling with climate change, social inequalities, and corporate accountability. While sectors like mining, energy, and manufacturing have typically been under the ESG spotlight, healthcare is now stepping into focus.

Thought leadership