Members of Medical schemes have to be more vigilant

Members of medical schemes have to be more vigilant to protect their interests against the rogues that seem to hover like vultures over the troubled industry.

The uncovering of major corporate governance failures at Publiserve, the 9000-member medical scheme administered by Metropolitan Health, has been the most visible example yet of how things can go horribly wrong when members' interests are not taken seriously by trustees.

All the members were left in the lurch when the scheme went into voluntary liquidation in May last year.

It took a commission of inquiry, which has uncovered evidence of irregularities, to force Metropolitan to guarantee the outstanding claims of members to the tune of R10 million.

More damning, however, is Metropolitan's failure to take action against anyone fingered by the commission. If it were not for the actions of the Council of Medical Schemes, some of those implicated may have walked away without being held accountable.