Helth Cover

Medical aid in South Africa has become a necessity for all who can afford it. Private medical care is becoming more and more expensive and unaffordable every year.

The good news is that because of the great variety of medical aid companies they are lowering their monthly premiums, adding special offers to their packages and at the same time they’re concentrating on better client service.

In South Africa there are more than 160 companies that offer medical aid, of which more than 40 are open to the public. Most of the companies focus on group medical aids or large companies schemes, but within the remaining 40 you are sure to find one company to suit your specific needs.

Many of the companies belong to The Council of Medical Schemes, also known as the CMS. This council is for accredited medical schemes and their vision is to regulate fairly and effectively in order to protect the interest of members of medical schemes. You should see if the company you are involved in are on the list of accredited schemes.

There are many ways to save on your medical aid premiums. If you are married, you should do a little research and if your spouse’s employer also offers a medical aid contribution, you should consider to take it if they meet you your medical needs and is less expensive.

The young and healthy people out there can consider taking only a hospital plan in the meanwhile. People who are older and are more likely to become ill or have chronic diseases or those with children, are advised to rather consider a fully comprehensive plan to cover doctor’s appointments and prescribed medicine.

Many employers only offer a contribution if you join their specific medical aid plan. If this is not the case, get as many different quotes and do a little research to find the medical aid scheme with the lowest premiums as well as offer you the most benefits.

You should think about you and your family’s needs before you start doing your research. Ask yourself what exactly do you want from your medical aid and ask yourself these questions:

• Do you have any health problems?
• Are you thinking of having a baby soon?
• Do you have any chronic illnesses?
• Are you living a healthy lifestyle?
• Are you on the road a lot?
• Do you have children that might need medical attention?

When you know what you want and need from a medical aid, it would be much easier to look for it.

The cost is the second important part. Consider the amount you can afford. This might be difficult, but you should think about the amount you will be able to set aside every month. R2000 or R3000 a month might seem like a lot of money to pay each month. But what would happen if you and the other members of your family should be involved in an accident? You could end up with medical expenses of a R100 000 or even more. At this critical stage, should something so dreadful happen, you would want the best medical attention possible, wouldn’t you?

The affordability together with your specific needs will make the search for an ideal medical aid much easier. You can apply for as many quotes as possible as online quotes are fast, easy and free of charge. Compare what they offer and their premiums. After finding a few companies that you fancy, dig a little deeper. Ask your friends and families for their opinions on the companies and read about them on the internet. Make sure you understand the policy completely and be sure to read all the fine print. If you have any questions, phone them or email them and make sure you make an informed decision.

Medical aid is not something you would like to have for a short time or like to change in the near future. Think longterm and take your time before signing the agreement that could save you from big financial burdens in times of a medical crisis in your family.