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From Friendly Society to Compulsory Medical Aid Association

The History of Medical Aid Provision in South Africa’s Public Sector, 1905–1970

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 January 2016

Grietjie Verhoef
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Abstract

The compulsory medical benefit scheme for white public servants in South Africa grew out of a friendly society founded in 1905. This development diverged from the experience of other members of the British Commonwealth, where universal health insurance schemes developed following the British example. The Civil Servants’ Medical Benefit Association (CSMBA) addressed the needs of white public servants, leaving the non-white communities without any form of government-sponsored medical support, apart from health care provided at government hospitals. The CSMBA was a well-managed medical benefit association, but when it was appointed the compulsory medical benefit association for white public servants, government intervention affected the financial viability of the organization, despite the payment of a state subsidy.

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Articles
Information
Social Science History , Volume 30 , Issue 4: The Persistence of the Health Insurance Dilemma , Winter 2006 , pp. 601 - 627
Copyright
Copyright © Social Science History Association 2006 

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