The CMS Industry Indaba 2026 is the Council for Medical Schemes’ premier stakeholder engagement platform, convened to advance regulatory dialogue, strengthen governance, and promote sustainability within South Africa’s medical schemes environment.

As the statutory regulator established under the Medical Schemes Act (131 of 1998), CMS is mandated to protect beneficiaries, ensure the financial soundness of medical schemes, and promote equitable access to healthcare funding. The Industry Indaba provides a structured, high-level forum for regulators, policymakers, medical schemes, administrators, healthcare professionals, academics and industry leaders to engage on emerging regulatory developments and operational reform priorities.

The 2026 Indaba is deliberately structured to ensure alignment between regulatory intent and industry implementation.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the CMS Industry Indaba is to:

• Strengthen regulatory alignment across the healthcare funding ecosystem
• Facilitate evidence-based policy engagement
• Promote governance excellence and fiduciary accountability
• Advance financial sustainability and affordability
• Encourage collaborative, system-wide solutions

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

The CMS Industry Indaba 2026 is structured to align regulatory priorities with practical reform in South Africa’s medical schemes environment.

1. Strengthen Regulatory Alignment (Day 1)
   Advance policy coherence, governance standards and compliance oversight within the medical schemes regulatory framework.
2. Promote Financial Sustainability (Day 1)
   Support financial soundness, responsible pricing practices and long-term affordability across the healthcare funding sector.
3. Advance Value-Based Care and Contracting Reform (Day 2)
   Drive implementation of value-based care models, alternative reimbursement methodologies and transparent contracting frameworks.
4. Enhance Market Conduct and Consumer Protection (Cross-Cutting)
   Reinforce fairness, transparency and beneficiary protection across regulatory and operational discussions.
5. Foster Evidence-Based Industry Collaboration (Across Both Days)
   Facilitate structured dialogue between regulators, policymakers and industry stakeholders to strengthen healthcare system sustainability.