Metropolitan Holdings reappointed as administrator to GEMS

Metropolitan Health Corporate (Pty) Ltd, the largest restricted medical scheme administrator in South Africa, and its risk management subsidiary Qualsa, won the Administration and Medicine Clearing contracts respectively, after an extensive two-month bidding process. The new term takes effect on 1 January 2009.

The bidding process for the full range of medical scheme administration services started in June this year and was overseen by independent auditing firms Deloitte and KPMG. All accredited medical scheme administrators were afforded the opportunity to submit bids for the administration contract, based on an extensive request for proposals from the GEMS Board of Trustees.

Metropolitan Health Group Managing Director Blum Khan welcomed the move and said that it was a privilege to be associated with an industry-leading medical scheme that is setting the pace for social security reforms in the health-care sector.

“If the unprecedented growth in GEMS continues at this rate, it will have the largest number of members under administration. This will mean significant cost benefits for members,” Khan said.

GEMS has grown from a zero base to more than 750 000 beneficiaries to date.

Said Khaya Gobinca, Managing Director of Qualsa: “Metropolitan is committed to making healthcare affordable and bringing the uninsured population into the healthcare system.”

“The GEMS Board and management team present us with an opportunity to participate in groundbreaking initiatives and a fresh direction in the medical scheme industry,” added Nick Rudston, Managing Director for the MHG Admin business.