Discovery Medical Scheme

The Discovery Medical Scheme is the largest in South Africa and it is financially very strong. The scheme uses its financial muscle to negotiate better rates with numerous health service providers in order to provide its members with more affordable medical cover.

Discovery Medical Scheme boasts more than two million members and has shown a growth of more than fifty-six thousand more a year since 2011. Interestingly, the age of the average Discovery scheme member is three years younger than that of any of the other medical schemes.

When considering Discovery Health medical scheme there are a few important things to consider. The most important of them are these:

• Financial Strength Discovery is one of very few South African companies, and certainly the only medical scheme that enjoys the prestige of an AA+ credit rating from the prestigious internationally accepted Global Credit Rating agency. The scheme has enormous amounts of cash in reserve and is more than capable of paying claims. At present Discovery holds more than seven and a half billion rand in reserve! An astonishing ninety-seven percent of all medical claims were paid in full during the past year. More than ninety percent of payments were made to service providers under contract with Discovery which means that members seldom had to pay a contribution towards the final bills submitted. The financial strength of Discovery means that members can rest assured that they will not be left in the lurch when they claim as has happened with other medical aids.
•              Discovery plans on offer The various Discovery medical schemes are designed to fit every possible need and income group. Discovery feels strongly about offering every South African the opportunity to enjoy the privileges of private and quality health care. The various plans range from cover for hospitalization to extremely sophisticated cover for world-class treatment at advanced facilities overseas, as offered in the Executive flagship plan. The Discovery KeyCare series of plans, on the other hand, was designed to cater for people with lower incomes and can cost as little as four hundred and fifty rand per month. In between are various plans that offer a wide choice of benefits, placing the client firmly in charge of choosing cover that suits individual needs and that is affordable.
•            The technological edge Discovery has made an early decision to stay on the cutting edge of technology to provide even better services to their members. Here are just two examples:
•    HealthID is an application that allows doctors and specialists to access the full medical records of a member, thereby allowing them to make accurate diagnoses and access information regarding current treatments and medication. The application can also be used to refer patients to specialists and to prescribe treatment programs and medication. This saves the member time and money and allows the service provider to offer a more efficient service.
•    Members also have an application that can be used on their computers or smartphones. They can use it to access their own records, make enquiries and to find service providers in any area.
•              The Discovery Vitality program This popular and innovative wellness program is available to members of all plans. The rewards scheme encourages and rewards members for leading healthy lifestyles. Discovery has collaborated with other companies to provide members with, for example, access to the Woolworths HealthFood scheme. Members are also offered discounts at gyms, movies, and even flights. Some members that use chronic medication may even qualify for cash back rewards when obtaining their medicines from Dischem.

It seems as if there is very good reasons why the Discovery Medical Scheme remains the largest scheme in South Africa. The company remains on the forefront of innovation, they listen to their members and they genuinely try to offer affordable solutions to everybody. © Medical Aid Plan