Council for Medical Schemes (CMS)

The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) regulates the medical schemes industry in a fair and transparent manner and achieves this by: protecting the public and informing them about their rights, obligations and other matters, in respect of medical schemes; ensuring that complaints raised by members of the public are handled appropriately and speedily; ensuring that all entities conducting the business of medical schemes, and other regulated entities, comply with the Medical Schemes Act; ensuring the improved management and governance of medical schemes; advising the Minister of Health about appropriate regulatory and policy interventions that will assist in attaining national health policy objectives; and ensuring collaboration with other entities in executing its regulatory mandate.

The Council’s strategic objectives are to ensure that: access to good quality medical scheme cover is promoted; medical schemes and related regulated entities are properly governed, responsive to the environment, and beneficiaries are informed and protected; the CMS is responsive to the environment by being a fair, transparent, effective and efficient organisation; and the CMS provides strategic advice to influence and support the development and implementation of national health policy.