Gauteng Health pleased with uptick in RAF collection
The Department of Health in Gauteng says it has managed to collect R523 million from the Road Accident Fund (RAF) over the past three years.
The increase in collection follows the appointment of Batsumi Claims Management Solutions, the department said on Monday.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) earlier claimed the department paid out R220 million to the company to do investigative and administrative work to claim from the RAF.
“The process to collect from RAF is quite involved. It requires visiting and analysing the accident scene, compiling official accident reports, statements from witnesses in case of a multiple accidents, amongst others. The Department has no inhouse skills to do such work,” says Gauteng Health spokesperson Kwara Kekana.
She adds that the department believes it makes business sense to outsource this service.
"After the department has treated a road accident patient it has to submit a claim to RAF to recuperate costs incurred. The collection service is based on risk and it is commission-based.
“The department only pays the service provider on an agreed commission rate which is only paid once the recoveries have been received by the GDOH and from what the company has been able to claim from RAF after meeting their stringent claims criteria.”
Kekana says Batsumi was paid 18% commission on the R523 million it managed to collect.
“Our ability to successfully lodge medical supplier claims has a bearing on whether we are able to sustain our services to people that fall victim to road accidents, hence it is important that attention is paid to area of work.”
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