Cheap Medical Aid
Is there such a thing as cheap medical aid? This is no doubt a question many South Africans have asked. The answer is yes, there are affordable medical aid packages on the market that have been streamlined according to monthly income. Here we take a look at three of these products.
Fedhealth Blue Door Plus
Fedhealth’s Blue Door Plus is an entry-level option linked to income levels. Premiums start at R844 monthly and the cover offered includes:
- Unlimited private admissions to designated network hospitals
- Unlimited family planning consultations by contracted practitioners
- Unlimited prescribed medication
- Cover for basic dentistry and optometry
- Chronic medication for 25 Prescribed Minimum Benefit (PMB) conditions from designated service providers
- Wellness and preventative screenings
- Female contraceptives
- Flu vaccinations for the whole family
- 12-week weight loss biokinetic program
- GoSmokeFree consultation
Monthly contributions
Blue Door monthly contributions are salary-linked, and monthly premiums cost as follows:
- Principal member – R844
- Adult dependant – R714
- Child dependant – R401
So, the monthly cost for an average family of four amounts to R2,360 for a breadwinner whose monthly income falls below R5,565. Financially dependent children up to the age of 27 years are covered at child rates. This form of medical aid is only available to employees who have never previously had healthcare cover.
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Momentum Ingwe Option
Momentum’s Ingwe Option starts at R1436 a month for a family of four and is also an entry-level medical cover scheme. Members enjoy hospital cover of up to R1,260,000 per family annually at an Ingwe network facility. Premiums will cost less for those members who elect to use a State hospital. The cover is based on 100% of Momentum’s Ingwe tariff rate.
Other benefits
- Chronic treatment – GP visits and prescribed medicine from network providers
- Chronic conditions – 26 conditions in the Prescribed Minimum Benefits Chronic Disease List are covered
- Day-to-day medicine if prescribed by a network GP
- Optometry – one eye test and one pair of spectacles every two years
- Dentistry – consultations, fillings, and extractions from a network provider
- Blood tests – specified and prescribed by a network doctor
- X-rays – specified and prescribed by a network doctor
- Casualty visits – two per family annually with a co-payment of R100 after receiving authorization
- Specialist consultations – two visits annually to a network service provider with a co-payment of R100 after receiving authorizations
BonitasBonCap
For under R2,000 monthly, Bonitas offers the BonCap product that restricts members to the sole use of designated service providers. The attraction of this product is that it offers unlimited in-hospital benefits, restricted to 100% of the Bonitas tariff rate.
Other benefits
- GPs and specialists – unlimited visits
- Radiology – unlimited
- Pathology – capped at R24,230 annually
- Oncology – as stipulated in the Prescribed Medical Benefits (PMBs) list
- Organ Transplants – as stipulated in the PMBs list
- Dialysis – unlimited
- Internal Prosthesis – as stipulated in the PMBs list
- Mental Health – as stipulated in the PMBs list
- Chronic – 27 conditions are covered
Contributions
Monthly premiums for members earning below R7,500:
- Principal member – R918
- Adult dependant – R970
- Child – R432
Incomes of between R7,501 to R12,194:
- Principal member – R1,116
- Adult dependant – R1,055
- Child – R512
Incomes in excess of R16,660 monthly:
- Principal member – R2,235
- Adult dependant – R1,990
- Child – R847
Selfmed Medical Scheme
Selfmed offers a great option to cover day-to-day medical expenses and accidents with its SelfNET medical scheme. This scheme offers members a number of benefits restricted to the use of designated network service providers. SelfNET offers a range of benefits, and the full list can be viewed here. For as little as R1,275 monthly, some of the benefits are as follows:
Hospitalization
The cost of accommodation, theatre, medicine, and materials is limited to PMB conditions and 100% of Selfmed’s tariff rates.
Non-PMB benefits
Adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, and grommets – 100% of the Network Rate subject to pre-authorization and a maximum of R12,000 per family annually.
Other benefits at 100% of the Network Rate
- Unlimited visits to GPs and specialists
- Basic radiology – limited to PMBs
- MRI and CT scans – limited to PMBs and pre-approval
- Basic pathology
- Foetal scans – limited to PMBs
- Blood transfusions
- Internal and external prosthesis – limited to PMBs
- Organ transplants – limited to heart, lung, bone marrow, kidney, and liver
- Dialysis – unlimited
- Cancer – limited to PMBs
- AIDS and HIV – as part of the Disease Management Programme
- Optometry – one pair of spectacles or one set of contact lenses per beneficiary every two years limited to R480 and a further R185 for frames
- Basic dentistry
NOTES:
Your medical aid quote will include options to suit your pocket. Please ensure that the cover you select is exactly what you need and that you understand exactly what insurance you are buying. Do not hesitate to ask questions about the medical aid or hospital cover you choose.