Wella Medical Aid Society of Malawi (WEMAS) Chief Executive Officer McDonald Wella has described the newly launched WEMAS Biometric Access Smart card as a game changer in medical insurance market in the country.
Wella made the remarks during the launch of WEMAS Biometric Access Smart card on Tuesday at Amaryllis Hotel in the commercial city of Blantyre.
The CEO said the official launch of the first ever Biometric Access Smart card manifests WEMAS mission of being the most innovative Medical scheme in Malawi.
“This marks another milestone in our journey as Wella Medical Aid Society Ltd (WEMAS), the launch is a clear sign that WEMAS lives true to its mission of being the most innovative Medical scheme in Malawi,” said Wella
According to Wella, the biometric smart cards will help WEMAS members to receive electronic claims on a real time basis making it possible to reduce the time taken to pay claims
He added that members will also be able to monitor their benefit beating the secrecy which characterizes the medical insurance market in the country.
“Members the solution provides is the transparency that this system will bring, members will be able to monitor their benefit balances each time they go to the hospital.
“Our market is full of secrecy as far as member benefits are concerned. This secrecy results into mistrust from members of medical schemes which in turn breeds fraudulent claims,” said Wella adding the Smartcard will also help to reduce fraudulent claims.
Harrison Muiru, Group Managing Director Smart Applications International Ltd, whose company has partnered with WEMAS in launching the smartcard, said the Biometric system will help beneficiaries to access medical care easily.
“The technology will help WEMAS member’s easy access to health services, automation of manual processes and elimination of paperwork leading to higher efficiency and faster payment to healthcare facilities,” said Muiru
The Medismart solution is in use in over 8 countries in Africa across 5,000 healthcare facilities by over 1 Million members in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Tanzania, South Sudan, Somalia, Somalia and Democratic Republic of Congo.
