Medical Aid Quotes for South Africans
Medical aid quotes for South Africans are now available online. This is an excellent way for South Africans to find out how much health cover by different providers costs. Then they can make comparisons. Make it your starting point for entering the medical cover arena.
For medical aid quotes for South Africans, just follow a simple three-step medical aid quote process:
- Fill in the medical aid quote form on this website with your personal details;
- Choose how you want to receive feedback (by email or phone call) and;
- Submit the form.
After you do this, depending on the choice you made in step 2, you will get a detailed email with a comparative quotation or a call from an expert who will explain to you the various hospital plans and medical schemes.
They will then advise you on the best choice with your medical needs in mind. Should you need information on gap covers you can ask for it too.
There are two main ways of accessing health cover in South Africa: medical aid schemes and insurance companies.
Medical Aid Quotes for South Africans
Medical aid schemes must by law register with the Council for Medical Schemes, a body under the Medical Schemes Act. The Council plays a supervisory role. No medical scheme can exist without approval by this body. These schemes are required to offer certain minimum benefits, referred to as PMBs (Prescribed Minimum Benefits) to members. In the case of open medical aid schemes, just about any South African can be a member. There are close to 300 conditions listed as PMBs and among these conditions are more than 20 chronic diseases.
Insurance Companies
Insurance companies are not subject to regulation or supervision by the Council for Medical Schemes. They are therefore under no obligation to offer cover for the conditions listed in the PMBs. Like any other company, the main aim of insurance firms is profits. This is in direct contrast to medical schemes which have the Council watching over their shoulder to ensure that they act in the interests of their members. Furthermore, all medical schemes are non-profit organisations. When you are browsing through quotes from companies like Old Mutual and Clientèle, bear this fact in mind.
Medical Aid Quotes for South Africans
Here are some more pointers to look out for as you assess medical cover quotes from different schemes and companies:
• PMBs: “If, for no other reason, you should rather choose a hospital plan from a medical aid scheme over a hospital plan from an insurance company because of the 300-odd conditions for which you will be entitled to cover. Big open medical aid schemes such Bonitas, Sizwe and Discovery are waiting for you with some enticing hospital plans that will cater for most South Africans’ medical needs, taking their income levels into account. Even if you have a condition that necessitates frequent hospitalisation or specialist care, you can go ahead and request quotes from these companies, confident that you will be fully covered. And even those with minimal healthcare needs are well advised to sign up with medical schemes rather than insurance companies.
• Open and Closed schemes: When choosing a medical aid scheme you should know whether it is an open scheme such as Bonitas and Genesis, which offer health cover to any South African, or a restricted scheme such as Bankmed which only caters to members of the banking industry.
• Special deals: People living in the coastal parts of the country are considered to be of better health than those who live further inland. For this reason, a number of health cover providers have special discounts for coastal dwellers. Ask about this as you leaf through various quotes if you happen to reside there.
• Pregnancy benefits: If you plan to start a family soon you need to consider your childbirth medical costs and sign up with a medical scheme early. This is to avoid missing out on treatment benefits as you wait for the 12-month waiting period before the cover becomes active to elapse.
All info was correct at time of publishing