{"id":1154,"date":"2017-03-28T10:39:50","date_gmt":"2017-03-28T08:39:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.namfisa.com.na\/educates\/?p=1154"},"modified":"2025-07-19T14:01:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T12:01:57","slug":"agm-medical-aid-fund","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.namfisa.com.na\/educates\/agm-medical-aid-fund\/","title":{"rendered":"AGM: Medical Aid Fund"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The Importance of the Annual General Meeting for a Medical Aid Fund<\/h3><\/span><\/div>
An Annual General Meeting (commonly abbreviated as AGM) is a formal meeting held between the Board of Trustees (\u201cTrustees\u201d), members of the Fund and interested members of the public. The meeting is convened by each Medical Aid Fund\u2019s Trustees, for the general benefit of all the members of the Fund. The AGM is open to all members of the Fund who each have one (1) voting right.\n
\nIt is the mandate of Trustees to arrange annual general meetings to enable members to raise and discuss any matter pertaining to the Fund. At the AGM, the Principal Officer and Trustees present the Fund\u2019s annual report, which contains information for members about the Fund\u2019s performance and strategy including previous and future activities.\n
\nMembers may vote on issues, such as the election of Board of Trustees, Trustees\u2019 remuneration and the appointment of auditors. Members who do not attend the\nAGM in person are asked to vote by proxy.\n

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What is a proxy?<\/h3><\/span><\/div>
A proxy is someone (usually a member of the Medical Aid Fund) who has been given the authority to represent someone else (other members of the Medical Aid Fund), especially in voting at the AGM. Every member of a Medical Aid Fund has a statutory right to appoint a proxy. Members who do not attend the AGM in person are asked to vote by proxy.<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Why do Medical Aid Funds convene annual general meetings?<\/h3><\/span><\/div>

\n\u2022 Medical Aid Funds are required in terms of good corporate governance to hold an AGM every year;
\n\u2022 Trustees get an opportunity at the AGM to report back to the members of the Fund what they have achieved; and
\n\u2022 It is important that members are kept up-to-date with any new developments and changes to the Fund. AGMs therefore provides members with insight on the strategic objectives and direction of the Fund.

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Why is it important for Medical Aid Fund members to attend the AGMs?<\/h3><\/span><\/div>

\nMembers\u2019 attendance of AGMs is paramount and important if the Fund is to hold a successful meeting and meet a quorum enough to start the meeting. A quorum refers to the minimum number of members who must be present at an annual general meeting, as stated in the Fund rules, in order to constitute a valid meeting.\n
\nAll Medical Aid Fund members are mandated to vote and elect who should be on the Fund\u2019s Board of Trustees. Members are also given an opportunity to provide input on and to decide on the remuneration of the Fund\u2019s Trustees.\n
\nAn AGM is an important platform for the members of a Fund to exercise their right to inquire and monitor the activities of the Board of Trustees of a Medical aid Fund. The annual general meeting gives the members of a Medical Aid Fund, a broad overview of the operations of the Fund, including information on the financial soundness of the Fund. It provides an opportunity for the members to receive copies of the Fund\u2019s financial statements as well as to review other operational information for the previous year and ask any questions regarding the strategic objectives of the Fund. In addition, members are required to approve the annual financial statements of the Fund at the meeting as presented to them by the Board of Trustees.\n

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What would typically constitute an agenda of the AGM?<\/h3><\/span><\/div>

\nThe agenda for a typical annual general meeting may comprise but not limited to the following:\n

\n\u2022 A report by the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees\n
\n\u2022 A report on audited annual financial statements;\n
\n\u2022 A report on investments\n
\n\u2022 A report on remuneration of Trustees\n
\n\u2022 A report on any changes to the benefits and contribution structure\n
\n\u2022 Questions from members\n

\nMedical Aid Fund service providers (eg. Actuaries and Investment Managers) may be invited to the AGM to make presentations on industry performance during the year. Submission of annual financial statements is also a requirement under the Medical Aid Funds Act where Trustees are required to send audited annual financial statements to the Registrar within six months after the financial year end.\n
\nThe annual general meeting is typically the only time during the year where Fund members and Trustees interact. If a Fund needs to resolve a matter in between annual general meetings, it may convene an extraordinary general meeting. Members may use annual general meetings as an opportunity to express their concerns about anything relating to the Fund. However, many Trustees sight low turnouts to the annual general meetings. In addition the Trustees have observed the number of members attending the AGMs has been decreasing over the years. Members of Medical Aid Funds are therefore encouraged to attend AGMs as these meetings benefits them more than it would benefit the Trustees.<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Summary<\/h3><\/span><\/div>
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Purpose of the AGM<\/h5><\/div>
The Trustees are obligated to arrange and host the AGM annually. During the meeting:<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  • <\/span>The Principal Officer and Board of Trustees present the Annual Report, which includes financial performance, strategic developments, and activities of the past and coming year.<\/li>
  • <\/span>Members can ask questions, raise concerns, and engage with the governance structure of the Fund.<\/li>
  • <\/span>Members vote on critical issues such as: appointment or reappointment of Board Trustees, approval of Trustee remuneration, appointment of auditors and approval of the audited financial statements.<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    If a member is unable to attend the AGM in person, they may appoint a proxy \u2014 typically another member \u2014 to represent them and vote on their behalf. Every member has a legal right to assign a proxy, ensuring their voice is still heard even in their absence.<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    <\/h5><\/div>
    Medical Aid Funds are required, in terms of good corporate governance and Fund rules, to hold AGMs annually. These meetings are essential because:<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Things to Consider Before Surrendering Your Policy<\/h5><\/div>
    Premature withdrawal or surrender of your policy may result in:<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    • <\/span>Trustees report on the Fund\u2019s performance and operations.<\/li>
    • <\/span>Members are informed of changes in benefits, contributions, and Fund strategy.<\/li>
    • <\/span>Transparency is promoted, and members are given oversight of how their contributions are being managed.<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Why Should Members Attend?<\/h5><\/div>
      Member attendance is critical to a successful AGM:<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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      • <\/span>A quorum (the minimum number of members required to legally hold the meeting) must be met, as defined in the Fund\u2019s rules.<\/li>
      • <\/span>Members vote on key issues affecting the Fund, including elections and remuneration.<\/li>
      • <\/span>Attending the AGM allows members to hold the Trustees accountable and ensure the Fund is being managed in their best interest.<\/li>
      • <\/span>Members get access to important documents, such as the audited financial statements, and can ask questions directly about the Fund\u2019s financial health and long-term strategy.<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        Typical AGM Agenda<\/h5><\/div>
        AGMs may also include presentations from external service providers such as actuaries or investment managers, offering insights into the broader medical aid and financial landscape.<\/span>Member attendance is critical to a successful AGM:<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        • <\/span>Chairperson\u2019s Report<\/li>
        • <\/span>Presentation of audited annual financial statements<\/li>
        • <\/span>Report on investments<\/li>
        • <\/span>Report on changes in contribution rates and benefits<\/li>
        • <\/span>Trustee remuneration disclosure<\/li>
        • <\/span>Member Q&A session<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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          <\/h5><\/div>
          According to the Medical Aid Funds Act, the Board of Trustees must submit audited financial statements to the Registrar within six months after the Fund\u2019s financial year-end. The AGM facilitates the approval of these financials by members before submission<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          The Importance of the Annual General Meeting for a Medical Aid Fund An Annual General Meeting (commonly abbreviated as AGM) is a formal meeting held between the Board of Trustees<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[435],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-medical-aid-and-freindly-societies"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.namfisa.com.na\/educates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.namfisa.com.na\/educates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.namfisa.com.na\/educates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namfisa.com.na\/educates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namfisa.com.na\/educates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1154"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.namfisa.com.na\/educates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35701,"href":"https:\/\/www.namfisa.com.na\/educates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1154\/revisions\/35701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.namfisa.com.na\/educates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namfisa.com.na\/educates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namfisa.com.na\/educates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}