Discovery and their insane price increase

So happy that I have freed myself from this company, no more medical aid, no more banking with them and no more crappy car insurance with them. It feels like the shackles have been removed.

Having a company with those freaks pushing me to buy here, do this and do that is like a yoke.

Never again will I do any business with them. 🤮🤮🤮
 
RiaX said:
well keep just the chronics and hospital like costal core and MAX your gap cover. Cheaper. Pay cash for Drs outpatients because the medical aid saving is just your money anyways and itll get hammered by everyone.

You can negotiate with your Drs when it comes to cash they will drop their price. Medical aid they will bill like R1k R750 for GP but cash they will take R300 R400
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100% this.

Has saved me tens of thousands in the last few years.
 
B-1 said:
Inflation is not 4.x percent. All of the big expenses like food, fuel, electricity, travel etc are way above that.
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🤷‍♂️

Annual consumer price inflation rose only marginally in August 2026, with Stats SA recording the figure at 4.4%
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businesstech.co.za

Inflation surprise for South Africa

CPI for August came in cooler than expected, but might not be enough to stop an interest rate hike.
businesstech.co.za businesstech.co.za
 
SauRoNZA said:
100% this.

Has saved me tens of thousands in the last few years.
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Yes then save the savings in an interest bearing account. When you need medical funds you transfer from there. Things that are not covered by PMBs.

Velskoen said:
That's the problem right there. The medical industry milks the medical aid at every turn. Members end up paying for it through above inflation MA premiums.
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While I agree that the consultations are getting ridiculously priced. Other things like labs and x-rays and theatres do require ALOT of money. That being said if the doctors dont change their ways then the government will change it for them in the form of NHI. They did that to pharmacy with single exit pricing because pharmacies were abusing the public with their charges. You reap what you sow.

Also the medical aid is at fault because they pay those amounts so obviously the doctors are going to max it. The people are to blame as well they go to these Drs that charge huge amounts, maybe because they good Drs then they deserve their charges. anyways .... also the cost of a practice if you hospital based is very high, you looking at R100 000 for rent so your practice must make minimum R500k to a R1m per month
 
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I guess also depends on which hospital group you visit. I won’t visit the Mediclinic close to me as they charge up to 300%, then the Emergency centre is also a different private company. The melomed further away charges medical aid rates or the doctors there charge decent rates and my friends seem very satisfied when they visit the emergency centre/ get admitted. Unsure about netcare hospital group.
Shop around as not all doctors feel entitled to charge what they want
 
Got an email a week ago: my insurance is going down from next month onward, since I did not register any claims.

First I was shocked, but then.....................
 
RiaX said:
well keep just the chronics and hospital like costal core and MAX your gap cover. Cheaper. Pay cash for Drs outpatients because the medical aid saving is just your money anyways and itll get hammered by everyone.

You can negotiate with your Drs when it comes to cash they will drop their price. Medical aid they will bill like R1k R750 for GP but cash they will take R300 R400
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im on a hospital plan , couple of years ago my ear canal got a wax build up and i couldnt hear clearly - went to a doctor who squirted warm water in my ear , took 15 seconds and the problem was fixed

cost was R500
 
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Velskoen said:
That's the problem right there. The medical industry milks the medical aid at every turn. Members end up paying for it through above inflation MA premiums.
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Perhaps gap cover even more so. Tell them you don't have any and it's interesting how steep a discount they can offer over their initial bill. Sometimes I'm not even sure it goes back to the doctor I think the billing person just has a standing order to try and see.
 
My kid was recently involved in a car accident out of town a couple of weeks back. A week in hospital and a few surgeries later cost in excess of R350000 which Discovery has picked up. We're scrapping over a few items but if they don't cover those Gap will.

I'm not suggesting the premiums aren't high, even on our budget Essential Delta Core plan, but it's worth having when you need it.

Tomtomtom said:
Next time: https://www.temu.com/za/4-in-1--can...h-rechargeable-battery-g-605951448974994.html
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Your solution costs more than theirs.
 
Tomtomtom said:
Perhaps gap cover even more so. Tell them you don't have any and it's interesting how steep a discount they can offer over their initial bill. Sometimes I'm not even sure it goes back to the doctor I think the billing person just has a standing order to try and see.
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I had a colonoscopy earlier this year. Before going I got all parties to assure me in writing that there would be no co-payments, unexpected bills and that my med aid would cover everything 100%.

So after the procedure I get an account from the gastroenterologist for R400 and something outstanding. I referred them politely to our agreement beforehand. They had a lot to say and explain and justify warrawarrawarra. They kept calling, Whatsapping, emailing me. I stuck to my guns, told them to get knotted. What part of "agreement" don't they understand.

Bunch of scam artists, the majority of the medical fraternity.

The medical aid industry has encouraged and enabled this rip-off. Exactly the same as financial institutions and the financialisation of everything has enabled absolutely insane vehicle and other asset prices.
 
vigras rojara said:
They are known to reduce benefits under each plan too sometimes, so the increases are actually higher than stated if you take their "shrinkflation" strategy into account.
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I think overall they run an escalator: the top plans stagnate in terms of benefits despite the prices ratcheting up, while new plans appear at the bottom.

The idea is you won't be so foolish as to downgrade (and it's easy to market, just use photos of younger people on cheaper plans) -- but in fact I think in many cases you can safely do just that and in practice receive effectively the same coverage. For the low-end plans you're only getting PMBs anyway.

Bank accounts work a similar way.
 
bwana said:
My kid was recently involved in a car accident out of town a couple of weeks back. A week in hospital and a few surgeries later cost in excess of R350000 which Discovery has picked up. We're scrapping over a few items but if they don't cover those Gap will.

I'm not suggesting the premiums aren't high, even on our budget Essential Delta Core plan, but it's worth having when you need it.


Your solution costs more than theirs.
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They will argue about chronic medication but when it comes to hospital they pay 100% no questions asked.
 
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purrr said:
They will argue about chronic medication but when it comes to hospital they pay 100% no questions asked.
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Only until the doctor on standby that night is a 300% doctor then you still end up paying for it.

Hence the gap cover.
 
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