MPs want parents to benefit from children medical cover

SEVERAL members of Parliament on Monday insisted that parents to holders of different medical insurance policies in the country be added on the affiliate family members as beneficiates to the insurance.The observation was made as members of Parliament debated the bill establishing the law governing the organisation, functioning and management of health insurance, which was tabled before the House by the Standing Committee on national Unity, Human Rights and the Fight against Genocide. The committee is led by MP Francois Byabarumwanzi.Debate became intense as the lawmakers discussed Article Nine of the draft law which states that family members of the insured person should include their legal spouse and a child recognised under civil law.The child referred to must be aged not more than 21 years, be single and have no monthly-paid employment.However, a child who is still in school shall be covered until they are 25 years of age on condition that they submit a certificate of attendance to the insurer.LossesA number of Parliamentarians said this wasn’t fair and asked that this article be rephrased.MP Juvenal Nkusi said that parents should be able to access treatment using health insurance cards of their working children, just like legal spouses and biological children.He said that there are many parents who do not work and entirely dependent on their children, adding that it would be unfair for them to be denied the right to benefit from their children’s cover.Byabarumwanzi said his committee was also hesitant on this article but when they talked to different health insurance companies, the insurers said they would make losses if parents were included.“We also wanted parents to be inclusive but most of the public insurance companies said it would lead them to losses if parents inclusive on their working,” he said.MPs, however, demanded that health insurance companies should provide evidence of losses made if parents became beneficiaries of their working children’s health insurance.MP Desire Nyandwi said that it was not realistic to give people only 30 days to join a health insurance scheme, suggesting that it would be better if they were given more days.The bill, made up of 35 articles remains under discussion in the plenary, and once passed, it will regulate entities like the Rwanda Social Security Board (medical insurance arm) CORAR, Military Medical Insurance, SORAS, among others.

National

MPs want parents to benefit from children medical cover