Consumer Education
The Council for Medical Schemes offers the following programmes as part of Consumer Awareness and Education Initiatives. Should you be interested in any of the programmes highlighted below, please contact Ms. Mmatsie Mpshane at 012 431 0434 or email her at: m.mpshane@medicalschemes.co.za.
Capacity Building Workshops
Introduction
The structure of the capacity building workshops includes the following:
- Detailed presentations about:
- The Role of Council for Medical Schemes
- Member Rights
- Complaints Procedures
- Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMB’s)
- A question and answer session
- Distribution of a Capacity Building Manual, Education brochures, Z-cards and posters
The Capacity Building Manual contains information on the regulatory framework, the functions of CMS, detail information on the above mentioned presentations, and other information that would assist educators and advisers to deal with medical schemes issues.
These sessions enables CMS to interact with small groups and to create awareness of the regulatory environment and better understanding of medical schemes rules and benefit structures.
Objective of workshops
The aim of capacity building workshops is to empower NGO’s, advice centres, and other relevant stakeholder who are in contact with the general public, with the information that enables them to deal with medical schemes issues.
Target Audiences for the workshops
- Trade Unions (educators, benefit coordinators and organizers)
- Paralegal Associations
- Advise Centres
- Non- Governmental Organizations
- Community Based Organisations
- Employers – Employer Assistant Practitioners and HR Departments
- Provincial Consumer Affairs Officers
- Consumer Groups/ Organisations (National Consumer Forum, Consumer League)
General Public Awareness Drives
CMS regularly participate in Outside Radio Broadcast sessions with different radio stations, which include addressing the public at various outdoor centres and simultaneously doing live radio interviews. These sessions also provide us with the opportunity to interact with the public to create awareness by distributing educational material and providing advice on medical scheme related queries.
Other awareness drives include participation in roadshows and visiting various centres with Provincial Consumer Officers and participating Easter Rand Show, Pretoria Show and other big exhibitions. Regular participation in Radio talk shows, and as per invitation of the Provincial Consumer Affairs Officers Consumer slots on regional Radio Stations.
Awareness Presentations
CMS conducts Awareness Presentations upon invitation to various stakeholders as well as at public functions as World International Consumer Rights Day Celebrations (15 March) nation wide.
The objective of our awareness presentations is to sensitize people on their rights and obligations. The presentations covers the role and functions of the Council for Medical Schemes as well as the protection afforded to members of medical schemes by the Medical Schemes Act 131, 1998.