If you are under the impression that all medical aid schemes are the same then you are mistaken, as there are a lot of healthcare plans out there to choose from. A lot of them do not offer anything other than payment towards the expenses associated with hospital treatments, so if you are looking for other medical assistance such as dental treatment, you need to make sure that you are getting that coverage in your healthcare plan. In this article, we will take a closer look at the benefits of belonging to a dental plan, or a medical aid scheme that has extensive dental coverage.

When it comes to dental healthcare in South Africa, there are two main types, and they are Out of hospital and in-hospital. An out of hospital treatment is the normal treatment that you would expect to receive when you go to your local dentist for check-ups, fillings etc. In-hospital treatment includes trickier procedures such as the removal of teeth, and other dental procedures that would require you to take a general anaesthetic.

For the most part, most medical aid schemes will have provision for dental treatment in hospital, and such things as the removal of impacted wisdom teeth is something that ought to be covered. Of course, there are going to be some dental treatments that are not covered by dental healthcare in South Africa. So it is important to make sure that you choose your policy carefully.

For out of hospital dental work, you can expect to be covered against the costs of at least 2 check-ups every year, 2 scale and polishing per year, 1 filing per tooth per year, 1 set of dentures every 4 years, as well as things such as x-rays and root canals. If your policy covers advanced dentistry, then you can also be expected to be covered against the costs of orthodontic and periodontal work too.

Dental work can be expensive, especially if you have to undergo a dental procedure that requires you to attend hospital. There are a number of hospital plans that do not cover dental treatment, so it is important that you either take out a separate dental plan, or else find a medical aid package that covers the costs of dental treatments. Otherwise, you could end up with rather sizeable dental bills to pay for on top of your monthly medical aid premiums.

Why Switching to the GERMS Medical Aid makes Financial Sense

A lot of people in South Africa do not belong to a medical aid scheme, and even if you do belong to a healthcare scheme, you may not be getting the level of coverage that you deserve. As a member of a medical aid scheme, you should check your policy to make sure that it is still giving you a level of cover that is worth what you are paying for. A lot of medical aid schemes do not cover some things such as orthodontic treatment and maternity issues. GERMS Medical Aid prides itself on offering a number of different healthcare plans that will cover a whole multitude of different medical conditions, ailments, treatments and preventative measures. In this article we will be looking at the Government Employee Medical Scheme in more detail.

There are some pros and cons to changing medical aid scheme, and in the next part of the article we will take a look at some of them. The pros concern the fact that you are probably going to get more coverage for less, which means that you are going to get much more value for money. There are some cons of course, and one of the biggest ones is the fact that you might have to wait for a few months if you are suffering from a chronic illness. In addition to that waiting period, if you have not been a member of a medical aid scheme for more than 2 years, then you may have to wait for a period of a few months before you can claim.

In order to move to GERMS Medical Aid from another medical aid scheme, you will first need to give a 1 month notice period to your existing healthcare provider. Once you have completed the application form for GERMS Medical Aid, you will then need to wait for them to accept you, which can take up to 7 working days from the date they received your application. As soon as your existing medical aid scheme comes to an end your new policy will take over the following day, so there is no break in your cover.

Changing to a better medical aid scheme makes sense if you want to save money, and if you work for the South African government, then you can save even more money by joining the subsidised Government Employee Medical Scheme.

The Pros of Joining GEMS Medical Aid

The Government Employee Medical Aid scheme has a number of top quality healthcare providers, which are there to provide the best medical treatments in your area. Dentists, doctors, optometrists and access to prescription medicines are some of the things you can expect when you join a healthcare plan from GEMS Medical Aid.

The GEMS Medical Aid scheme is only open to government employees, and therefore, the premiums are low due to the fact that the South African government subsidises the scheme. There are 5 different healthcare plans that form the Government Employee Medical Scheme, and they are Sapphire, Beryl, Onyx, Emerald and Ruby.

The Sapphire option is the entry-level healthcare plan, and this option is ideal for those government employees that are on low incomes. It offers a basic level of protection against some of the most expensive forms of medical treatment, such as those that you could expect to receive in hospital for example.

Any healthcare providers that are part of the GEMS network should be displaying a GEMS sticker in their window or somewhere on their premises. When you see the sign, you will know that your doctor, dentist or optometrist is a part of the GEMS network, so you do not have to pay for the treatment you receive.

Some of the treatment that you can expect to receive when you become a member of a medical aid scheme includes cover against the costs and expenses associated with hospital treatments, as well as emergency transportation to hospital. These can be some of the most expensive treatments around, and if you need the services of a specialist or surgeon then the costs can quickly spiral out of control.

If you have more money to spend on your monthly premiums then you might want to make sure that you have more coverage against everyday medical expenses. Regular visits to a doctor, dentist or optometrist can quickly add up to a tidy sum of money, and it is nice to that your expenses are going to be covered.

Hopefully, this article has been helpful in giving you some idea of why the benefits of belonging to a medical aid scheme over taking chances and relying on the public healthcare facilities, or another medical aid scheme. Not only will you be saving money, you will also be getting access to some of the best medical experts in your area.

What is GEM Medical Aid?

GEM Medical Aid is a South African run government run medical scheme that is there to provide employees of the government with access to good affordable healthcare. Founded as recently as 2006, GEM Medical Aid is now one of the biggest medical aid schemes in the country, helping thousands of people to meet the costs of some of the most expensive medical procedures. Before GEM Medical Aid was introduced back in 2006, a lot or government employees were members of other medical aid companies, however, a large number of government employees were able to afford medical aid cover. Thanks to the contribution for the GEMS healthcare plans being subsidised by the South African government, more government employees than ever before have the chance of being covered against private medical expenses.

You might be wondering what sets apart this government backed medical aid scheme from other medical aid schemes which are open everyone. To start with, it is limited to government employees only, meaning that it is a closed scheme that is not open to membership from members of the general public. Secondly, because it is subsidised by the South African government, the premiums that members are expected to pay each month are a lot lower than other open healthcare schemes.

The Government Employee Medical Scheme has 5 distinctly different healthcare plans to choose from, and they are subtlety named after a number of different precious stones. Sapphire is the lowest priced cover, and it is seen as the entry-level scheme for those government employees that are on a low income. The Emerald healthcare plan offers more than Sapphire, however, it is still competitively priced, and is the one plan that seems to be the most popular amongst government workers. For those that can afford a more comprehensive level of cover, Onyx is the premium option, and it covers hospital expenses, day to day medical expenses as well as treatment for a range of chronic illnesses. Other plans on the scheme are called Ruby and Beryl, and they offer a level of coverage that comes somewhere between Sapphire and Onyx.

As you can see, there are many more benefits to joining the Government Employee Medical Scheme than joining an open medical aid scheme, if you work for the government. Not only are the monthly premiums lower, you do not have the added problem of trying to find the best medical aid company amongst hundreds.

Take the Sting out of Medical Costs with Fedhealth Medical Aid South Africa

If you are young and in relatively good health, you might be tempted to forego the temptation to sign up to a medical aid scheme, in order to save some money. However, there are reasons why you should have at least a little bit of medical cover, and that is due to the fact that injury or illness can strike at any time, without warning to even the fittest people.

The costs associated with medical treatment can ruin a person on a financial level, and this is because medical procedures in hospitals in particular, are currently soaring. Even something as routine as an operation on your appendix can cost an awful lot of money. That is why there are companies in the country such as Fedhealth Medical Aid South Africa that are able to offer a wide range of healthcare plans. These plans will help to claw back some or all of the costs of private medical treatment, a treatment that could make the difference between life and death.

Relying on the South African public health system is something that you should really avoid if at all possible, and this is because there is a tremendous strain on the service at the moment. The problem is related to the sheer amount of people that are using the service because of the fact that they do not have any kind of medical aid cover. There is a general shortage of beds, medication and a lack of qualified doctors and nurses, and this can lead to a poor standard of treatment, if you survive the lengthy waiting times.

Joining a hospital plan, such as the one offered by Fedhealth Medical Aid South Africa will help to cover the costs of some of the most expensive treatments. Treatments as simple as an x-ray can cost a lot of money in a private hospital, and if you need surgery, then you are really looking at a big expenditure.

It should be noted that a hospital plan will only cover the costs associated with treatment in a hospital, and you will not be entitled to claim the costs of other day-to-day medical treatments, such as dental treatment or eye tests.

Prior to signing up for a healthcare plan, it is important to make sure that you read the terms and conditions, and to familiarise yourself with what is included and what is not.

There is no Need to Suffer with the Fedhealth Medical Aid Scheme

Due to the ever increasing costs associated with all forms of medical treatments, even visiting a doctor or paying for prescription medication can leave the average South African family struggling financially. This has had the effect of forcing a large number of people to grit their teeth and struggle through some minor ailments, due to the fact that they do not have any means to pay for medical treatment. Nevertheless, there will be times when the problem becomes so severe that medical treatment is a necessity rather than an option. When this happens, and private treatment is called for, a lot of South African families will often be faced with the further problem of paying for their medical treatment.

This is one reason why it is so important to make sure that you are a member of a medical aid scheme such as the Fedhealth Medical Aid Scheme. Yet, despite the fact that being a member of a medical aid scheme is so important, the amount of people in South Africa with medical aid cover is described as being as low as 18%. That is less than one-fifth of the South African population.

Some people are fortunate enough to work for a company that provides a private medical aid scheme, however, there are plenty of people that do not, and it is these people that need to look into joining a medical aid scheme such as the Fedhealth Medical Aid Scheme. Of course, for those people that work in an industry that has its own closed medical aid scheme, the choice of whether to join it is up to them, which means that they are free to find their own medical aid scheme to join, although figures suggest that they are not doing this.

Selecting a medical aid scheme such as the Fedhealth Medical Aid Scheme is never easy, however, there are a few things you can do in order to narrow the field somewhat. Making a list of schemes that are within your price range is one of the first things that you need to do, this will help to eliminate those healthcare plans that are way beyond your budget limitations. This will then leave you with a clearer picture of what you can get for your money, and the other thing you need to do is to make sure that you are going to be covered for the things you need.

Discovery Medical Aid Reviewed

If you fall sick or have an accident, you might be hospitalized. This will cause you not to receive your income for that period.

Such problems can be solved with Medical Aid since it will cover the cost of treatment and other relating expenses incurred due to the situation. One of the leading medical aid schemes in South Africa is Discovery Medical Aid.

There are six different plans that are offered by Discovery Medical aid:

1. Executive Plan:

This is the most advanced medical aid plan offered by Discovery. Every month, about R3764 is the cost that may be incurred by choosing this plan.

It offers unlimited cover for treatment in any private hospital, a private ward cover of up to R1 300 per day, chronic illnesses cover, innovative technologies cover, a medical savings account, and even cover of up to R10 million for up to 90 days for medical emergencies outside South Africa.

2. Comprehensive Series:

The Comprehensive Series is the second most advanced series from Discovery. It consists of four different plans with monthly expenditure ranging from a minimum of R2 315 to a maximum of R3 086.

Some features of this plan include unlimited hospital cover in private hospitals, chronic medicine cover, innovative medical technologies cover, a medical savings account, an Above Threshold benefit, and international medical emergency cover for up to R5 million relevant for 90 days.

3. Priority Series:

The Priority Series offers the maximum balance in terms of expenses and coverage. There are two plans in this series with monthly outlay being estimated at R1 778 and R2 069 every month.

Its cover comprises unlimited private hospital cover, essential chronic medicine cover, a medical savings account, balanced day to day limits, upfront payments for some in – hospital procedures and travelling medical emergencies cover outside South Africa for up to 90 days with a maximum amount of R5 million.

4. Saver Series:

The Saver Series is for those people who want medical aid but cannot spend too much on it. It boasts of five plans with the monthly payment floor and ceiling being R1 428 and R1 814 respectively.

5. Core Series:

Discovery’s Core Series only focuses on core requirements of people through five separate plans. Monthly payment estimates are between R927 and R1 160.

Characteristics of this plan is unlimited private hospital cover, essential chronic medicine cover, and international emergency cover similar to higher plans.

A Guide to Cheap Medical Aid

The search for an affordable medical aid scheme becomes difficult if you don’t know exactly what you want, the meaning of words and how they relate to you. The difficulty really isn’t in finding cheap medical aids but finding the best one for you.

Therefore you need to search for the most affordable schemes available before you go through them to choose which caters most to your needs and is within your budget. It is seen as wise to check which one of them offers the correct balance between day to day medical benefits as well as health benefits and hospital cover.

We all know that not everyone has a high income; still the cost of health care continues to increase annually. Therefore, medical aid schemes create cheaper aid plans to accommodate the masses. In the creation of these cheaper aid plans, the medical aid schemes naturally reduce the amount of cover less just to be able to accommodate everyone. This goes without saying that you must thoroughly go through your possible choices before finally choosing the one most beneficial to you.

A good number of medical aid scheme plans supposed to look out for the lower class group are made such that they completely fit the life of those who are relatively healthy and rarely sees the doctor because if one visits the doctor during that month, he is charged extra on his monthly premium. The reason for the added fee is that most times, the fees do not cover the whole cost that the doctors want it to cover. Keep in mind that, because of these added fees medical aid scheme only covers the bare minimum. Also, since you will have to pay the extra fee when you visit the doctor, you may want to consider getting gap cover as well. This may be an added cost, but it will surely save you a lot of stress and frustration.

A good step you can take is to write all your medical expenses for the year then apply for the chosen medical aid plan online. Having completed the online application, you will be given different options meaning you are allowed to look at your list and choose the expenses that best suit you.

Cheap Medical Aids in South Africa and How to Find it

In order to avoid the lengthy waiting times and less than top notch healthcare that you can expect to receive at a public run medical facility, you might want to consider the ever growing band of people that are joining medical aid schemes. Cheap medical aids in South Africa are becoming more abundant, thanks to the number of medical aid companies that are now able to offer a broad range of healthcare plans. With so many different companies all offering medical aid membership, and with most of them offering anywhere between 3 and 12 healthcare plans, it has never been easier or cheaper to get assistance with medical costs.

One of the good things about cheap medical aids in South Africa is that they are fair to everyone. Every member of the same healthcare plan will be expected to pay the same amount for their premium, meaning that there is no prejudice relating to whether you have a long term illness.

You may incur a small financial penalty if you join a medical aid scheme and you are aged over 35 to 40 years old, but that is normal practice, as you will be seen as a slightly higher risk. This is just a way in which the medical aid company can cover itself against the higher possibility that you will need medical treatment during the length of your contract.

Cheap medical aids in South Africa will also not discriminate against those people that are suffering from a chronic illness, as there are many healthcare plans that will be able to meet the needs of someone that has a long term health problem.

Most medical aid providers are non-profit organizations, which mean that none of the money taken from members for their premiums is paid to shareholders, rather it is used to cover the costs of treatments when their members need it.

As you can see, there are many benefits to joining a medical aid scheme, none more so than having the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you are covered against high medical bills. Despite the fact that medical aid is easier to find than ever before, too many South African citizens are still not a member of a healthcare plan, and they are putting their health, and the health of their loved ones at risk.

How to Acquire Cheap Medical Aid South Africa

When it comes to choosing a medical aid plan, you might be slightly overwhelmed by the sheer number of different medical aid companies all trying to sign you up as a member. Not only are there hundreds of medical aid companies, most of them also have more than one or two healthcare plans on offer, meaning that there are literally hundreds or thousands of healthcare plan options to choose from. Cheap medical aid South Africa does mean that you are going to be faced with a huge selection of healthcare plans, and trying to find the one that suits your circumstances amongst all of them can be a bit of a challenge.

In order to make the process of choosing cheap medical aid South Africa, you need to look closely at your own set of personal circumstances. If you live alone and do not have any dependents, then you may have more money to spend on a more comprehensive medical aid plan. Of course, you could be on a low income, which might restrict your choice somewhat, however, even under those circumstances there are healthcare plans that will suit.

Being married and with a family means that you will want a healthcare plan that covers you and all of your dependents, and a more comprehensive plan can help you to meet the costs of a whole range of medical problems. Cheap medical aid South Africa will ultimately depend on your circumstances as well as how much you can afford to pay for your premiums each month.

Not only should you consider your circumstances and lifestyle in the present, but you should also look at any possible changes that may take place in the future. You may well be young, free, single and in overall good health now, however, an injury or illness can happen when you least expect it, so if you can afford to pay a little bit more for a more comprehensive healthcare plan, you could be saving yourself money in the future.

Hospital bills can soon add up, and these are the type of medical expenses that a lot of people find difficult to pay. Most basic healthcare plans are designed to help cover the costs of hospital treatments, as well as transport to hospital in an emergency, however, some do have a limit on how much they will pay out, so it is worth checking each policy carefully.

Author Archives: Jackson

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