PSF to set up members’ Health Insurance Saving Scheme

Members of the business community who are not benefitting from the government-tailored insurance scheme commonly known as “RAMA” provided by the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB)- could soon start benefiting from a ‘Health Insurance Saving Scheme’ established by Private Sector Federation (PSF). Felix Mutagoma, The Human Resources Director at PSFtold The New Times that the scheme aimed to improve members’ health could be launched in January next year. “So far over 200 members of the Private Sector Federation have subscribed to the scheme, and as more continue to subscribe, we hope that the health insurance saving scheme could start with at least 1,000 members. We are still mobilizing more members in the business community,” he said. The first category of subscribers includes members who will contribute Rwf1.5 million annually. Mutagoma said that in this category, the member and his family will be allowed to access medical treatment at not more than Rwf6 million cost per year. The second category will be contributing Rwf1 million annually, while the 3rd and 4th categories will be contributing Rwf500,000 and Rwf350,000 respectively. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th categories will be allowed to access medical treatment at not more than Rwf4.5 million, Rwf3.5 million, and Rwf1.5 million cost respectively. He said that for the subscriber to access medical services, they will only pay 15 per cent of the total cost of medical treatment in the beginning. Mutagoma said that as the scheme grows with more members joining, the subscriber will be paying only 5 per cent of the total medical treatment cost to access enhanced affordable health services. “We classified members in categories depending on each business person’s financial capacity so as to make the scheme inclusive. The subscriber and their family members will be able to access services thanks to the health insurance saving scheme,” he said. He said that the members will access medical treatment in both public and private hospitals that will enter into an agreement with PSF. “As subscribers keep increasing, the member who is paid Rwf6 million per year to access health services will even be paid for up to Rwf15 million for instance,” he said urging the business community to subscribe to the scheme. He said that the scheme might also start companies that sell medicines or establish private hospitals if the scheme gets more funds. Andre Gashugi, a business person in Muhanga district welcomed the scheme adding that medical treatment cost was not affordable. “Because there was no such scheme, I got medical treatment at Rwf25 million. I think if we had a such scheme for PSF members, the cost could have gone down,” he said. Dancile Nyirabahire, a business woman in the city centre added, “This is a timely scheme but the contributions must be well managed. PSF should make sure that it is really affordable. It should also think of other projects related to the health sector that can generate income.” The Private Sector Federation – Rwanda (PSF) is a professional organization, dedicated to promoting and representing the interests of the Rwandan business community. It is an umbrella organization that groups 10 professional chambers. It was established in December 1999, replacing the former Rwanda Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Currently, the Federation groups together some 186,386 business operators.

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PSF to set up members’ Health Insurance Saving Scheme