This draft bill aims to amend the Medical Schemes Act, 1998, so as to:extend certain rights of members to their dependantsexplicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of agedistinguish between medical schemes and legitimate health insurance productsfurther, regulate the practice of reinsurancerestrict the circumstances in which waiting periods may be appliedimprove the powers of the Council and the Registrar to act in the interests of members and their dependantsregulate the marketing of entities doing the business of a medical schemeprovide for the more frequent submission of returns to the Registrardetermine the circumstances in which inspections may be madeclarify the powers of the Registrar in regard to the investigation and resolution of complaintsprovide for the granting of urgent temporary ordersfurther restrict the persons who may be appointed as auditors of medical schemesfurther restrict the persons who may serve as trustees of a medical scheme, and to further clarify their dutiesrestrict the persons who may serve as principal officers of a medical schemelimit the purposes for which medical schemes may compensate brokers and provide for the regulation of their professional conductremove the requirement for staff of the Council to be members of the Government Employees Pension Fund and to provide for incidental matters.
>