Itac on 30 June announced the proposed amendment of rebate items 405.04/01.00 and 405.04/02.00 of the Act by the deletion of ‘physical or mental defects’ and the insertion of ‘disabilities’; the deletion of ‘handicapped’ and the insertion of ‘with disabilities’; and the insertion of ‘or a certificate from a registered medical practitioner’. Comment is due by 30 July.
The application was lodged by Retina South Africa who reasoned that the proposed amendment served to update the terminology of referring to persons with disabilities, to be more inclusive of all forms of disability, and to make the use of the rebate item more accessible and user-friendly.