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It happens to all of us at one point or another. We fall ill, have some type of accident or someone that we know and love does. Whereas we cannot prevent accidents from happening, or illness from striking, there are things that we can do that will help us either prevent them or help us get the medical assistance we need once they do occur. The best way to do this is to look for the best medical aid scheme that will work for yourself and those that we love and are responsible for in our lives. Since medical aid schemes are so varied it is important that you determine exactly what your needs are and what sort of coverage you are going to require. This could be limited to an extremely basic scheme to something that is a bit more elaborate that offers you and your family extensive benefits. The Bonitas Hospital plan comes in two different forms and either one, is a great option for anyone seeking medical coverage.
One of the first things that you need to consider when you are looking for medical coverage is what state of health you and your family members are in at that time. If you are young, fit, and healthy, the kind of coverage you will need is a bit different from older individuals. If you are on a tight budget but are still seeking some type of medical cover there are options available for you there as well. The most important thing to remember is that basic coverage if much better to have than no cover at all in the case of a medical emergency brought on by a sudden illness or accident.
The two options that you can get from Bonitas include the BonEssential and the BonCap. Both of these medical aid plans offer a variety of medical benefits that include hospital stays and cover 26 chronic conditions. The BonCap is ideal for those that want coverage that is more comprehensive while the BonEssential is great for those young and fit individuals on a tight budget.
Protect yourself and your family by seeking out some type of medical aid scheme today. You will be able to find a plan that will not only fit into your budget but will give you the benefits that you need and require. Bonitas Hospital plan has two options that will work for you and your family regardless of your age or medical state. Simply take the time to look through all of the various benefits that they offer and get the peace of mind that comes with knowing when the unexpected happens that you and your family will be taken care of, allowing for you to focus on your recovery.
LA Health medical aid is part of the more well known Discovery Health Ltd. The scheme currently provides cover to nearly 65,000 members primarily from the local government industry. Although the LA Health brand is often overshadowed by the Discovery name, the scheme has actually been in operation for around 40 years.
The program focuses on enhancing the lifestyle that their members currently enjoy based on extensive research which indicates that making small, sustainable adjustments to your day to day life can make a positive impact on your overall health and can even help to prevent certain diseases. Some of the changes advocated by LA Health medial aid include:
Being more physically active.
Following a healthy eating plan.
Taking preventative measures.
Making good lifestyle choices.
These seemingly insignificant changes to your every day habits can make a substantial difference in both improving and maintaining your overall well-being, not just physically but also mentally and spiritually.
LA Health medical aid members can choose from five different plans all of which offer integrated health and lifestyle benefits which will help members with their quest for a healthier lifestyle. Across these various options the scheme strives to be able to cater for any member’s individual needs. The plans offered include:
LA KeyPlus
LA Focus
LA Active
LA Core
LA Comprehensive
Chronic Illness Cover
One of the things that really sets LA Health medical aid apart from similar schemes is the long list of illnesses which are covered in full under all five plans. These include Bipolar Disorder, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), Haemophilia, HIV & AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease among many others. Partial cover is also offered on a range of other conditions including organ transplant, stroke and major psychiatric disorders. The scheme also operates a dedicated oncology program which is also accessible to members on all plans.
Day To Day Medical Expenses
Depending on the plan level selected, members are also covered for many of those day to day medical expenses including eye care, dentistry, doctor’s appointments, over the counter medication and prescription treatments. With the higher level plans there is also additional access to a medical savings account
Preventative Measures
As noted, LA Health medical aid id passionate about improving health and they advocate preventative measures to help members avoid illness. Some of the preventative care benefits offered at some plan levels includes :
flu vaccination
mammograms
pap smears
prostate antigen screenings
annual vitality checks
cholesterol and blood pressure monitoring
LA Health medical aid certainly has a somewhat unique take on how to approach health care schemes. Their focus on making positive lifestyle changes is something that other providers should be looking at since healthier members will surely mean more affordable premiums!
When it comes to securing access to health care, most South Africans just want a medical aid scheme which is straightforward and easy for them to understand. That is exactly what Hosmed medical aid strive to offer to their members. This particular medical aid scheme is available to both the private and public sectors in South Africa. The Hosmed medical aid scheme was first established in the late eighties with the goal of securing health care for civil employees, but it has now grown at a steady rate and now boasts around 34,000 members.
The key thing that most people look for in a medical aid program is a good selection of benefits at an affordable rate. There are three main plans offered by Hosmed medical aid all of which certainly offer a great combination of benefits that do not carry exorbitant premiums.
The Hosmed Step Option
The basic level of medical aid offered to the public is the Step Option which offers admission to any state run medical facility including hospitals, clinics and treatment centres. These admissions do need to be backed with a pre-authorisation slip. The plan also offers a number of high risk benefits including coverage for chronic illness that does not exclude HIV and AIDS. This is something that many other schemes charge a surcharge for, although the Hosmed medical aid do pace several protocols on this cover. However, HIV management cases will only be approved if the patient is a member of the scheme prior to treatment beginning.
The Hosmed Value Option
If the step plan does not seem the right fit, then the mid level plan may be a better option. The Hosmed Value Option offers most of the same benefits that the Step Option does, but one of the main additions is that this particular scheme option offers a very attractive day to day option which covers over the counter medication with a limit of R500 per family or R120 per prescription. Additional cover offered also includes treatment for mental health issues, physiotherapy and alternative therapies.
The Hosmed Plus Option
At the top level of the scale, Hosmed medical aid offer the Plus Option plan. This is the most fully comprehensive plan offered by the scheme. The over the counter medication usage limits are higher with an annual family limit of R850 and a per prescription maximum of R180. The plan also includes cover for prescription medication. There are also some increases in the day to day benefits.
The important thing to keep in mind if you feel that Hosmed medical aid is an appropriate choice for you is that you need to decide what your needs are prior to choosing a plan. This means taking a closer look at the benefits offered and also at the general health of you and your family members.
One of the up and coming medical aid schemes at the moment is Gems Medical Aid which can offer plans that are a little different to those offered by the more well known plans such as Discovery and Bonitas. Gem medical aid is primarily aimed at providing healthcare to suit government employees. The scheme has five affordable plans which have been created with members’ needs in mind.
Gems medical aid aims to provide members with access to an extensive range of benefits while still maintaining affordable monthly premiums. Gems provides access to quality healthcare to public service employees and low income families. Gems medical aid members can also receive medical care at private clinics, access disease management programs and get emergency care as required. Let’s take a closer look at the plans on offer to Gems medical aid members.
The Sapphire Plan
The Sapphire Plan from Gems medical aid offers members access to a large network of health care providers including pharmacists, dentists and GPs among other services. Plan members do not need to pay any additional fees for treatment and consultations received within this network.
The Beryl Plan
Beryl offers all of the same benefits of the Sapphire plan, but members also have access to some additional benefits including out-of-hospital over, chronic mediation cover, maternity programs, dental cover, HIV/AIDS management, Oncology cover and optometry care.
The Ruby Plan
The Ruby Plan allows Gems medical aid members with an additional level of care. Not only do they get access to care programs for chronic diseases which will provide both them and their families with the necessary support and medical care they need, but the plan also includes a savings account.
The Emerald Plan
With the Emerald option plan members still have to make use of the approved GEM network of health care providers if they are to avoid out of pocket expenses, but using them is not required. It is necessary to seek re-authorisation for hospital visits including out patient visits, physiotherapy and ambulance transport.
The Onyx Plan
The upper level plan offered by Gems medical aid is the Onyx plan which offers members very specialist care programmes to help manage a range of chronic diseases. This includes education about a number of conditions including asthma, diabetes and mental health. There is no requirement for Onyx members to use the GEM network of providers, but doing so will remove the potential for out of pocket expenses.
Pre-Authorisation For Gems Medical Aid Plans
The various plans do require pre-authorisation when it comes to specialist dentistry, physiotherapy, out-patient hospital treatments, MRI scans and CT scans. Ambulance transportation is also a requirement for re-authorisation.
In conclusion, Gem medical aid presents the ideal solution for government employees and low income employees who are looking for quality healthcare at affordable rates while also gaining access to great benefits.
In a recent interview discussing the interim results for the first half of 2013, Netcare medical aid revealed that they are expecting hospital inflation to stay below consumer price inflation (CPI) even although inflation is over 7%. CEO of Netcare, Dr. Richard Friedland revealed that the medical scheme had managed to contain costs both in terms of CPI and other products. Consumers everywhere have been feeling the pressure financially in recent months, but Netcare medical aid patients have weathered the storm and the groups private health care and dental clinics have also been performing well. In fact, Netcare have opened new facilities in Carlswald, Midrand, Rangeview and Khayelitsha. Netcare medical aid patients have access to 9266 beds across South Africa and there are plans to open up a further 89 beds later in the year with construction of two new hospitals slated to begin later this year in Polokwane and Pinehaven.
Friedland said, ‘I think only about 3.4% of our patients, certainly in the hospital division are out-of-pocket private paying patient.’ However, despite this, Netcare’s primary care division has actually experienced a 7.3% decrease in revenue. Although Freidland does put this down to the recent transition to a managed healthcare risk model designed to provide a low-cost options for health care. The introduction of National Health Insurance (NHI) has been a sticking point for many medical aid providers, but Netcare say that they welcome universal coverage as a way to provide extended services that will be available for all although Friedland admits that he is disappointed that a planned enquiry into the private healthcare sector by the Competition Commission is to exclude the pharmaceutical.
The enquiry which is set to get underway this coming September released a draft of the terms to be discussed late last month. Private hospitals and medical schemes will be placed under close scrutiny but because the pharmaceutical industry is already subject to price controls they will escape direct examination. Friedland states, ‘we all know we are paying 40% more for drugs in this country and cross-subsidising the state sector. If the real aim of this enquiry is to reduce costs, one of the easiest ways would be to help procure drugs at the same prices as you can internationally, which is at least 40% less. To allow parallel importation would be helpful.’
About NetCare
Netcare operate one of the largest private hospital groups, primary care networks and emergencies medical services in South Africa in addition to being the largest training provider for emergency medical personnel and health care workers. Netcare is also the largest provider of private acute hospital provider in the United Kingdom offering independent services to the National Health Service (NHS).
If you are thinking about obtaining cheap medical aid cover, or you want to make sure that you are still getting value for the money spent on your current cover, then a few simple steps can help. These steps will guide you through what can be a bit of a maze when it comes to medical aid schemes in South Africa.
Firstly, you will need to make a list of the kind of things that you need your medical aid scheme to cover. This will depend on your individual requirements or the needs of your dependents. If you already belong to a medical aid scheme then it is good practice to take a long hard look at the details of that cover in order to make sure it is still going to be beneficial to your needs as well as your family’s needs. The best time to review your medical aid policy is at the start of the year, as this is the time when most medical aid companies increase the cost of their premiums or even reduce the amount of cover included within the policy itself.
Secondly, you will need to think hard about the level of medical aid cover that you and your family are going to require. The most proficient way of doing this, is to work out just how much your medical bills were in the previous 12 months whilst at the same time allowing for unexpected emergencies that can crop up at any time. Most medical aid companies offer policies that can be changed throughout the year in case you need to remove certain cover or add new cover, such as maternity medical aid. If you think that you might be facing a lengthy spell in hospital in the coming year then you need to check the small print of your policy in order to ascertain just how many days in hospital your policy covers. This can also apply to the cost of prescription medication for chronic illnesses as this medication can often last for quite some time, and there may be a limit on your policy that only allows for medication to be funded over a certain length of time.
Some medical aid companies will offer many different policies that cover most medical situations. Finding the right one can be a lengthy and complicated process, as well as a tedious one. However, there are now companies that offer three or four different schemes that cover most of the population and their medical requirements.
You will find that as you get older that you will have to pay more for your medical aid than when you were younger, and this is simply because the older you get, the more likely you are to need medical assistance.
Spending some time in order to work out exactly what kind of medical cover you need in conjunction with your budget means that you will not be left high and dry when you need medical assistance.
Many people find that when they start to look at the prospect of obtaining medical aid cover, that there are simply too many different companies out there offering medical aid policies. The task of finding a medical aid scheme and package that suits their individual needs can be a lengthy and tedious task. For this reason, it is a good idea to seek out comparison websites for medical aid quotes. The prospect of sifting through pages and pages of information and data (much of which can be comprised of confusing jargon and statistics) is not something that most people would choose to spend their free time doing. Moreover, on top of this many people find that the cost of medical aid in South Africa is prohibitive, due to being on a low income.
Having a low income should not bar you from acquiring suitable medical aid cover. More and more medical aid companies are now looking to offer medical aid packages to those who have to watch their monthly budgets.
Of course, it is perfectly understandable for people to say that they baulk at the thought of the amount of money that a medical aid package will cost them in premiums each month. The reason for their reluctance to acquire a medical aid package is that in the past they may have been quoted a huge sum in order to get the medical aid package that suited them at the time. It is true that a few years ago the medical aid market in South Africa was limited to a few companies who could charge higher fees for their medical aid programs. However, with the popularity of the internet, more companies are entering the market place. Those companies are now offering very good standards of medical aid for less money than you might think.
Most people who say that they cannot afford medical aid cover have to rely on the subsidised medical cover that the South African government provide. However, relying on this cover can be risky, as the government can only afford a certain amount per patient and this often compromises not only the quality of the care given, but also the medical equipment that is used.
To be blunt, if you want you and the people you care most about to receive the best medical attention possible, then you need to sign up to a medical aid scheme in order to help cover the costs that come with expert health care.
Even though most of the intensive medical aid packages are still beyond the financial means of a large number of the South African population, thanks to the wealth of choice, more medical aid companies are now able to provide cost effective medical aid packages that can suit those on the tightest of budgets.
This entry was posted in Medical Aid and tagged First aid, Health insurance, Medical equipment, South Africa on by author.562class="post-562 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-medical-aid tag-health-insurance tag-insurance-policy tag-medical-aid-2 tag-medical-assistant tag-south-africa"
If you are concerned about the general health and fitness of you and your family then you are probably thinking of looking for a medical aid policy that will cover you in the event of any medical problems that may occur. Falling ill or being injured in an accident is not something that most of us want to think about, however, problems do happen and they can happen when you are least prepared. By taking out a medical aid policy, you can rest easy knowing that you and your family are covered against whatever medical problems may come your way in the future.
However, if you are working to a strict budget and you are looking towards the cheaper end of the medical aid market, then you may find that searching for a cheap medical aid policy is a bit more of a chore than you thought initially. There are plenty of different medical aid policies out there and the market in South Africa is no exception. Many differ in price as well as the level of medical assistance that they provide, some are more suited to single people, whilst others will be tailored to cover both parents and children, plus there are specific ones for the older members of society.
You may find that the company that you work for has their own private medical insurance policy that is subsidised and that you can join, however, you will need to look at the policy in detail as it may not cover areas that you want and it may not cover your family. There is always the option of the open route with these policies, which will allow you to choose the right medical aid cover for your needs.
There is a growing need for low cost medical aid and there are a number of policies available on the market today in South Africa. Numerous medical aid policies can cover not only you but also your family for less money than you might think and you will find that you do not need to break the bank in order to acquire a good medical cover. The only drawback is that the medical aid policies at the lower and cheaper ends of the market may not provide the assistance that is best suited to your needs and any options that you decide to add on will cost you more money. This can quickly push up the cost of your medical assistance policy to prohibitive levels and before you know it, you may find that the policy is going to cost you more than you want to pay.
When it comes to obtaining the level of medical cover that you are looking for, then you will need to take your time and seek out the right policy that best suits your circumstances.
By taking your time and doing some research then you can find the best medical aid policy that best suits both your needs and just as importantly, your budget.
If you are currently on the lookout for medical aid in South Africa then you may find that the whole area of medical aid is a bit of a minefield that needs to be negotiated before locating the best deal for you and your loved ones. For that reason, you should try to acquire some medical aid quotes in order to help you find the best level of cover, for the amount of money you can afford to pay towards the premium each month.
Medical aid is more often than not, tailored to the individual or their family situation. A young single person of good general health is not going to require the same level of coverage as a middle-aged family man with children and a partner. That is why you will need to sit down and work out exactly what level of medical aid cover you need for your situation.
The advantages that come with having suitable medical aid is that there is no shortage of choice and in fact, you may feel slightly confused by the plethora of different medical aid schemes in South Africa currently. Try to find a medical aid quote website that will help you to sort through all of the different policies and list them all on one page so you can compare them next to each other.
When you have found a medical aid quotes website, you will need to provide as much detailed information as you can and this information should also be accurate, if you provide erroneous information then you will receive a medical aid quote that will not be suitable to you. You may find that the level of cover you have does not cover eventualities such as childbirth or long term chronic illness medication. However, most medical aid schemes will allow you to add or remove certain types of cover when your circumstances alter, that way you can be sure that you are paying for the right amount of medical cover that best suits you and your family’s situation.
The downside to medical aid is that there may be certain things that you have to do in order to be accepted onto the scheme as some providers will require you to take a medical examination before allowing you to sign up to their schemes. This means that a previously undiagnosed medical condition may be detected that renders you ineligible for medical aid.
There is also the risk that they will not accept you if you have a pre-existing medical condition and this can be a major disappointment if you are looking to acquire private medical insurance.
Finding a medical aid quotes website is the sensible and easiest way in which to compare the large number of medical aid insurance policies that are currently available in South Africa. The costs of medical aid schemes do vary depending on your age, so younger people can expect to pay less than older people.
This entry was posted in Medical Aid and tagged Health insurance, Insurance, South Africa on by author.555class="post-555 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-medical-aid tag-critical-illness-insurance tag-disease tag-health-insurance tag-medicine tag-momentum-health tag-scheme tag-south-africa tag-united-states"
For the majority of people, medical aid is merely an additional element of our lives; however, in reality it was first launched in 1950’s America, and only made its way to the republic of South Africa in the ‘80’s. The original medical aid schemes in the republic of South Africa began life as a hospital cash-back scheme and these schemes are still to be found in lots of countries throughout the globe.
When medical aid schemes were first launched in South Africa in the eighties, it was the only product of its kind available, yet by the end of the decade, in excess of 50,000 policies had been snapped up, sold by medical aid companies such as, Momentum Health.
When the first medical aid packages came available in South Africa, they were limited to groups and were popular with companies who wanted to give their employees some medical cover. Yet in the early years of the 1990’s, individual medical aid schemes became available, and it was not long before there were many different medical aid providers offering medical aid packages.
Amazingly the critical illness cover that nearly all of the main medical aid providers proffer across the globe was originally initiated in the republic of South Africa during the middle of the 1980’s. Not long after critical illness cover became available there was also the option for disability cover as well, and that is when medical aid cover began to look like it does today.
By the mid-nineties, there were a large amount of South African residents who were subscribing to medical aid schemes that included critical illness cover and disability options. This upward trend in South African citizens opting for medical aid, that includes disability and critical illness, continued to rise during the 1990’s, and by the end of the decade, the medical aid market in South Africa was well and truly at the forefront of private medical care.
Since the start of the new millennium most of the medical aid providers such as Momentum Health, have added more and more different ailments and long-term illnesses to the list of things that can now be covered. Illnesses such as AIDS and HIV can now be found on the list of ailments and diseases that can be covered by medical aid policies. For the reason that South Africa has a high rate of people with HIV and AIDS, the inclusion of these illnesses on medical aid policies was seen as a watershed moment in private medical care.
Medical aid schemes such as those being offered by Momentum Health are constantly changing to suit the needs and lifestyles of certain demographics of South African society. This means that all of the companies that are currently offering medical aid schemes have a lot of different policies available for the average consumer to choose from. This can make choosing the right medical aid package a bit of a difficult task for those who are not entirely sure what cover they need.
