SERVICE LEVEL COMMITMENT

TO

MEDICAL AID FUNDS

1. Purpose

The objective of the SLC is to provide guidelines in terms of turnaround times(turnaround times schedule enclosed hereto as Annexure A), and the roles and responsibilities of all the parties involved with regards to services rendered by the Medical Aid Funds Department (the department) to the medical aid funds industry. The number of days in Annexure A refers to business days and excludes Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

2. Period

The SLC applies to applications received by the department from 1 August 2013. The SLC will be reviewed annually thereafter in order to improve the quality of turnaround times and to include any additional services that the department would be required to provide in future.

If the applications by the medical aid funds industry or from new applicants are incomplete the department will query or reject them. When the applications are resubmitted the turnaround times herein apply as if a new application was received as from the resubmission date.

The turnaround times will also depend on the output from other Departments at the Registrar's Office and therefore, internal arrangements may be made with the respective Departments which may affect the turnaround times as indicated in this SLC.

3. Applications and prescribed fees

3.1 Application for registration of new fund (including reviewing of new rules)

3.1.1 If applications for registration are complete and all the required documents (duly completed) and the registration fees are paid the department will finalise the application as per Annexure A.

3.1.2 Cognizance should be taken that if the Licensing Litigation Committee (LLC) does not take place as planned then the time frame in Annexure A may not be achieved.

3.1.3 An application which is incomplete in any matter or with fund rules which are inconsistent with the provision of the Medical Aid Funds Act No. 23 of 1995, will be returned to the applicant with correspondence in whatever form, stating the exact documentation or amendment required on the draft rules and the Medical Aid Funds department expects to receive a response within 30 days. The turnaround times as contained in this SLC will commence upon receipt of the response to the above mentioned from the applicant as requested by the Medical Aid Funds department.

3.1.4 If the Medical Aid Funds department does not receive the required information/ amended rules within the period stipulated in paragraph 3.1.3 above the application process will start again and therefore the applicant is required to submit a new application.

3.2 Application for final registration of the fund

3.2.1 The department will prepare the final registration letter and final registration certificate for the signing-off by the Registrar within the days specified in Annexure A.

3.2.2 An application which is incomplete in any manner will be returned to the applicant stating the reasons for the application being returned.

3.2.3 The processes in sections 3.1.3 will follow.

3.3 Application for Amalgamation

3.3.1 If all the required documents are submitted the department will process the application and recommend it for approval by the Registrar within the timeline as per Annexure A.

3.3.2 The funds will be given 30 days to rectify the application, and to resubmit for review.

3.4 Amendments to the rules

3.4.1 Any amendments to the fund’s rules must be submitted to the Registrar within 30 days from the date on which a resolution was passed to amend the rules.

3.5 Application or change of Principal Officer (PO)/Auditor and Valuator

3.5.1 Applications for approval of Principal Officer, Auditor and Valuator will be finalised within the time frame in Annexure A.

3.6 Deregistration

3.6.1 Funds whose assets and liabilities are transferred but are not de-re-registered in terms of section 38 or section 39 are legally obliged to comply with their statutory obligations.

3.6.2 Annexure A contains the turnaround time for acknowledgement of termination of a fund albeit in terms of section 38 (1) following a transfer of finalization of liquidation.

NOTE:

This SLC serves as a commitment by the Medical Aid Funds department to the medical aid funds industry. It is not intended or should not be construed in any manner of form, to be a legally binding, prescription or regulation. The SLC is not enforceable and does not create any legal rights, substantive, or procedural nor impose any legally-binding obligations on the Authority. The Medical Aid Funds department expressly reserves the right to vary the periods stipulated in the SLC at its own discretion.

PHILLIP N. SHIMI
REGISTRAR OF MEDICAL AID FUNDS

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ANNEXURE A

MEDICAL AID FUNDS DEPARTMENT

Activity	Turnaround times
1 Application for registration of new fund (including reviewing of new rules)	90 days
2 Application for Amalgamation	15 days
3 Amendments of rules	15 days
4 Consolidations and revised rules	30 days
5 Application or change of Principal officer	5 days
6 Application or change of Trustee	5 days
7 Application or change of Auditor	5 days
8 Application or change of Valuator	5 days
9 Application for deregistration	30 days
10 Acknowledgement of correspondence, enquiries and complaints	5 days
11 Acknowledgement of receipt of applications	5 days
12 Inspection reports communications	60 days
13 Application of extension of submitting statutory returns	5 days
14 Application for exemptions	30 days
15 Minutes of annual forum meetings	45 days
16 Submission, review and queries on returns from industry	45 days
17 Notification of implementation of remedial action	30 days
18 Feedback on policy related matters	90 days

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT

I acknowledge receipt of a copy of the NAMFISA Circular No. ...........

Signature ________________________ Name of Principal Officer ________________________

Date ________________________

Kindly return to:

Registrar: Medical Aid Funds
NAMFISA
1st Floor, Sanlam Centre, Independence Avenue
P.O. Box 21250
Windhoek
9000