Patients asked for upfront payments as dispute between KZN ambulances, RAF drags on
The KwaZulu-Natal Private Ambulance Association says it's been backed into a corner because of ongoing payment issues with the Road Accident Fund (RAF).
It says its affiliates have been put in the difficult situation of asking patients to make payments upfront or produce proof of their medical aid - before they're taken to hospital.
Private ambulance operators have been raising the issue of non-payment since last year, saying the RAF owes them millions.
"They started to say it was the lockdown, the backlog with the lockdown since last year because their staff was not working. But after that, there was no communication from RAF," says the Association's Andile Nduli.
"The other thing which we think is causing delays is regulations that they implemented this year.
"We need to provide them with the official accident report, its not all accidents which are reported to the SAPS, so now that also causing another problem."
