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The Public Servants Association (PSA) has received a large number of calls from union members in response to the 13.4% increase in membership subscriptions for the Government Employees Medical Scheme (Gems) for the upcoming year.
The Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) has clarified its decision to implement a 13.4% subscription increase for next year, following criticism from the Public Servants Association (PSA).
The PSA has rejected the increase, arguing that it will effectively reduce government employees’ salaries and make medical aid unaffordable.
GEMS Principal Officer, Dr. Stanley Moloabi, explained that the increase was determined based on the anticipated healthcare funding needs of GEMS beneficiaries.
“One of the biggest drivers of this increase is our members’ utilization of benefits,” Moloabi says.
“Based on the utilisation, we have experienced thus far; we use models to predict what the utilization will be for 2025. To meet our members’ health demand needs, the average increase was determined to be around 13.4%.”
The PSA has called for a reconsideration of the increase, citing concerns about its impact on public servants’ financial stability.
