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When it comes to getting the best possible coverage at an affordable price from schemes such as Netcare medical aid there are a few important things that you need to keep in mind. The choice can be overwhelming if you do not know what exactly to look for, so we have put together this list of the key points to consider when choosing medical aid.
Look At The Level Of Coverage
Every medical aid program offers slightly different levels of coverage. You may find that one scheme covers pregnancy while another doesn’t. Even between plans in the same scheme there can be large differences in cover. It is important to think about what sort of cover is important to you so that you can make sure it is included in your plan.
Look Into Payment Policies
When it comes to paying for your medical treatment procedures differ between schemes. For example, what Netcare medical aid does may not be what Liberty does. Some schemes will pay providers directly meaning that you only have to pay your agreed deductible or co-pay amount. However, with other schemes you may be expected to pay your own medical bills and then submit a claim to be reimbursed. Depending on your medical aid provider it could take as long as 30 days to receive your refund.
How Much Will It Cost
Perhaps the most important consideration when choosing your medical aid provider is the cost of cover. It is a good idea to work out how much your budget for health care is so that you can immediately eliminate those which are too expensive. It is never wise to sign up for medical aid you cannot afford as your cover will lapse if you are not up to date on payments. Always keep in mind that more expensive is not always better, it could be that you would be paying for services you will never use so make sure you are looking at which plan offers the best value for money.
Have You Considered Your Health
When choosing medical aid you need to take your own health and the health of any family members attached to the plan into consideration. If you have an existing condition then you need to make sure that your medical aid will cover your treatment. Some of the chronic illnesses covered by Netcare medical aid include: Asthma, Bipolar, COPD, Crohn’s Disease, Diabetes, Haemophilia, Parkinson’s Disease and Schizophrenia among others. However, this list will be different with other providers so take care to ensure your condition is on the list.
Does The Scheme Cover Hospital Care?
Not every medical scheme covers hospital care as standard. Often it is added as an additional premium for those requesting it. If you can afford to do so you should definitely opt for a plan which offers hospital care as you will never know when you might require treatment in a hospital or ER. As an example, the Netcare medical aid scheme does include hospital care provided you are admitted to an approved treatment facility within the Netcare group. Hospitalisation must also be pre-authorised under the rules of the Netcare medical aid scheme.
These are the top 5 things to take into consideration when choosing the right medical aid cover for you and your family, but you may have additional needs in which case you must thoroughly examine the terms and conditions of the program before making a commitment.
We live our lives striving to obtain different needs and desires. These typically include a good job, a nice home, and plenty of money, but there is one thing that is far more important than any other is – that is our health. It is of the utmost importance that everyone that resides in South Africa has some type of medical aid scheme not only for themselves but also for every member of their family. Having a medical aid scheme can mean the difference between getting the treatment and medications that you need, and going without them. Medical aid schemes, like Bonitas hospital plan, are critical to have in place when the unexpected emergency occurs and you need to spend time in the hospital.
As you can quite imagine when the time comes that something happens to your health, or the health of a family member, you want to know that they will get the treatment that they require. In many cases if you do not have any type of pre-existing medical aid scheme then you could be left having to pay a large amount of money out of your pocket. If you do not have the money to get the treatment you need, it is quite possible that you can end up going without it. If you take the time and effort to choose a medical aid scheme, such as Bonitas hospital plan, then you can live with the knowledge that you or your loved ones that are covered, will be able to get the treatment that is required.
This plan, offered to you by Bonitas comes in two variations. Although some of the features and benefits are the same within the two plans, there are some differences. The two plans are the BonCap and the BonEssential.
Of the two plans, BonCap is the ideal option for the individual that is on a tight budget but still wants to insure that they are covered. This plan covers a number of basic medical needs, which include hospital stays, pharmaceutical needs, optometrists and dental services. With the basic services included in your medical aid scheme, you will get the preventative treatments that you need that can stave off potential serious conditions to your health or those family members covered under your plan.
The BonEssential plan is designed to cover all of the unexpected incidents that may occur to the young, fit, and healthy individual. It does not have all of the benefits that the BonCap plan offers, as it is set up to cover issues that may arise unexpectedly. If you are not concerned with having coverage for an optometrist or dentist, but want to be covered if you fall ill unexpectedly, this is the ideal coverage as it is affordable and will cover you when problems arise.
If you do not have a medical aid scheme of any kind, consider what your needs are and look into one of the Bonitas Hospital plans.
Transmed is one of the many private medical aid programs which medical-aid.co.za can provide you a quote from. Transmed medical aid have a huge range of health care related services which is one of the reasons that they are considered to be one of South Africa’s premier medical aid providers. One of the key selling points for Transmed is that their policies offer a large range of benefits which can be extended to the primary member’s immediate family.
A Closer Look at the Transmed Medical Aid Program
The main focus of Transmed medical aid programs lies in taking into consideration the people who require the medical coverage. One example of this is the fact that when members are signed up via their employer, even in the event of them being terminated due to disability, ill-health or retirement the deal agreed with Transmed will still apply. This means that even if updates are made to the plan after the member’s employment is terminated, the new benefits will still apply.
As noted, Transmed offers a range of different medical aid plans to their members. The three most popular Transmed medical aid plans are:
State Plus Network
State Plus Own Choice
Private Network Saver
The State Plus Network plan can offer members a wide range of benefits including the day to day services of clinics and physicians and will allow for hospitalization in either State enhanced or basic medical facilities, while the State Plus Own Choice plan will also allow for state owned medical centers.
If a member prefers to opt for care in a private hospital, then they can do so, but only if the hospital or clinic is one of the Transmed Private Hospital Network. However, acceptance can only occur if admittance to such a facility can be considered involuntary. For instance, if the required treatment is only available at a private facility. This can include both planned treatment and emergency care.
Managed Care Programmes From Transmed
Transmed medical aid also offers managed care programs designed for the over 60’s. One such program is the Eldercare system which offers support not only for the elder,but also for their family members. Eldercare promotes ‘healthy aging’ and will allow members to become further educated in dealing with the illnesses that commonly affect older people. In addition to the Eldercare system, Transmed also offer HIV care programs and Oncology care. These managed care programmes are intended to help members find the most appropriate treatment and care as well as support them in living a normal life as much as is possible.
At some point in time, everyone becomes ill or will receive injuries that will require medical attention, and typically this comes out of the blue and can take people totally by surprise. When this happens, those people who do not have medical aid insurance will be expecting an often hefty medical bill at the end of their treatment, so in order to avoid this scenario, it is a good idea to join a medical aid scheme to help pay for those little emergencies.
Joining a medical scheme such as the ones offered by Bestmed is a good idea to help soften the blow and avoid the financial problems that can come with large medical bills. This is even more important if you have a family to look after, for the reason that, a family is going to need more financial assistance to help them with their medical requirements. Medical problems can arise at the most inconvenient and unexpected moments and if you and your family have to stick to a tight budget then you will need the extra peace of mind that comes with knowing that you do not have to worry about medical bills at the end of your treatment. That way you or your loved ones can concentrate on the important things, such as getting better and recovering.
Long-term medication and hospital visits can add up to a tidy sum, and when the time comes to make use of medical assistance you do not need the added stress and worry that comes from trying to pay medical bills. That way you can concentrate on getting better instead of worrying about money.
When you are a member of a Bestmed medical aid scheme you will receive the right level of medical help that you need no matter if it is an emergency medical problem or a long-term illness. Most medical aid schemes have certain services included as standard, such as staying at one of the hospitals listed in the scheme as well as transfer to hospital by ambulance. All of this and more will be covered by the medical aid scheme so you do not have to worry about having to pay the bills at the end of the treatment.
There are many medical aid schemes available and they all differ in the type of coverage they provide as well as how much they cost. You can however, choose to tailor the scheme to suit your specific needs by adding such extras as optical and dental care and you can even add the cover that helps with any possible mental illness.
By joining a medical aid scheme you are giving you and your loved ones the best possible chance of recovery, whilst at the same time, taking away the added stress and worry that can come with facing large bills for medical treatment. No matter what level of cover or cost you need, you will find a medical aid policy that will be suited to you and your family.
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When the time comes for you and your loved ones to need medical assistance, the last thing you should be worrying about is money. Illness can strike at any time and it can be a very stressful and worrying time for all concerned, no one likes seeing somebody they love suffering from a medical condition. It is at times like these that you do not need the added worries that come with hefty medical bills. You need to concentrate all of your efforts into getting well again, or supporting your loved one through the recovery process, not concentrating on the financial cost of the treatment.
That is why it is an especially smart idea to sign up with a medical aid provider, who for a reasonable financial outlay each month, will provide you and your loved ones with the medical care that they need, when they need it, which can be needed at unexpected times.
When the time comes to search for a medical aid provider, you may find that there are many more choices than you bargained for. Not only are you going to find that there are several medical insurance providers all vying for your business, but also that each company will have many different schemes, all offering different levels of cover for varying amounts of money. It can seem a little overwhelming, not to mention confusing, having to sort through endless pages of information, in order to find the best cover that suits your requirements.
You will probably be looking for the best medical coverage that you can get for your money and for that reason; one of the best medical aid providers that you can sign up to is Bestmed.
Bestmed has been providing medical aid in South Africa for almost 50 years and the type of medical cover that they offer comes with very competitive rates. When other medical aid companies were increasing the costs of their premiums by significant amounts, Bestmed limited their increase to just fewer than 9% which is the lowest increase of all the major medical aid companies in South Africa.
They currently provide medical insurance for over 150,000 South African residents and their families. They provide three main areas of coverage that are called, Beat, Pulse and Pace and which one you choose will depend on your circumstances.
Beat, is ideal for those of you who are primarily single and of good health, but who want hospital cover in case the worst happens.
Pulse, is more suited to those people who are looking to have their hospital care taken care of, as well as more general benefits, such as, access to doctors and other medical experts.
Pace, is the level of cover that is more suited to families and their daily needs such as doctors as well as hospital visits.
Where some medical aid companies offer a plethora of different schemes, Bestmed has decided to keep things simple with these three medical aid options that should suit everyone’s requirements.
We often think of medical aid as just an everyday part of our lives, something that has always been around, but few of us know the history behind it. Medical aid was introduced in America in the 1950’s and did not make its way to South Africa until the 1980’s. Some of the very first medical aid programs that were offered were hospital cash back schemes which are still sold in countries all over the world today. The popularity of medical aid really exploded in South Africa once it had arrived here and by 1989 there had already been over 50,000 policies sold. This figure continued to rise throughout the 1990’s, largely through direct marketing campaigns and advertising in the media.
Main Building of Groote Schuur Hospital – Cape Town (South Africa) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In the beginning, the only policies that were available were sold on a group basis. It was not until the start of the 1990’s that individual medical aid schemes became widely available. There were around 13 different medical aid providers across South Africa by 1991. It was in South Africa that so called ‘dread disease cover’, which includes 36 critical illnesses including cancer, stroke, organ transplant and other conditions with a major impact on daily life, first began here in South Africa. This cover is now offered worldwide. Following the dread disease cover, came disability cover, and by the mid 1990’s medical aid was beginning to resemble what we know today.
Statistics suggest that by around 1994 the annual premiums for dread disease and disability coverage had reached over R21 million policies, suggesting that most of the population was signing up for medical aid in order to safeguard against unforeseen medical problems in the future. Within the next five years this had increased to R53 million.
Moving into the present day, medical aid providers cover a wide range of health issues and offer multiple policies allowing everyone to find cover that is suitable for their family’s individual needs. This includes special medical aid programs for those suffering from AIDS or HIV. This is particularly important since in South Africa we have one of the highest rates of HIV infection.
The key thing to remember is that medical aid is constantly evolving, so even if you have found it difficult to get appropriate medical care in the past, there may now be a suitable product for your situation. If you are looking for medical aid quotes, then here at medical-aid.co.za we can compare a number of different providers for you saving you a great deal of time and effort. We will check policies with all of the South African providers to make sure that you are getting the best possible deal.
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Do you have a chronic medical condition that requires daily medication? Are you planning to start a family with your new spouse and want to make sure all of the medical expenses will be covered? Do you simply want to make sure that you and your family are covered in case any of you contract a normal cold or virus? If you want to make sure that your family is covered in the case any sort of illness or accident requires a visit to a doctor’s office or a hospital, then finding an inexpensive medical aid scheme is critical.
Nobody ever wants to think that he or she will get sick or need to spend time in a hospital. Unfortunately, the realities of life show us that people of all ages, backgrounds, and financial levels get sick or have accidents at one time or another. If you are not covered by any sort of medical aid scheme having to spend time in the hospital will be not only physically stressful, but financially stressful as well. At the most important time, when the person in the hospital should be focusing on getting well, they have to consider how they will pay for the medical bills once they are home.
One way to avoid the added stress that comes with emergency trips t
(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
o the hospital, for yourself or your family, is by researching and finding a cheap medical aid scheme. Medical aid schemes are available at a variety of costs, and in some cases, an employer may offer prices that are even more competitive. By determining what kind of coverage you and your family need, as well as what you can afford to pay, you will be able to find the medical aid scheme that you and your family need to ensure your healthcare needs are covered.
If you need assistance, or would simply like free medical aid quotes to help you find the coverage you need, visit www.medical-aid.co.za today. By providing them with some specific information they will find different medical aid schemes that will be a good option for you and your family.
