Discovery Health options

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RisseN

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Hey all,

I've been on a Discovery classic core plan for years now with no problems. It basically just covers me for hospital emergencies, nothing else.

I dont get sick very often so I seldom need to see a GP. Because of this the classic core has served me well since I just pay for my very infrequent doctor visits, dentist visits, etc out of my own pocket.

I'm thinking about maybe upgrading slightly and am getting a bit confused by all the various plans that Discovery offers. Im basically just looking to see if it wouldn't be worth paying an extra bit and getting some more flexability and cover. Especially for the odd thing that could happen from time to time that costs more than expected.

For those of you out there on Discovery who are also like me in that you dont spend much time at doctors, dentists, hospitals, what plan are you on?

Im not looking to hear about other medical aids please. Just Discovery. My company is with Discovery so I have no choice.

Thanks.
 
coastal saver, but that option isn't available to you hinterland folks, but its basically the same as your classic core but I have a savings pocket that i can draw out of so i hardly ever pay for visits to the GP,dentist etc, but technically i do pay because im paying for that savings portion.

IMO opinion you're better off staying on what you have now
 
Inlands version of Coastal Saver is Delta Saver. But on coastal saver, we used our entire savings for the year in 2 months. So for us, coastal saver isn't that useful and it's almost upgrade time, im keen to see what others suggest, like perhaps one of the essential options?
 
kwaggawerner said:
Stick with Discovery, it will be one of the wisest financial/health trade-off decisions you'll make this year!
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Thanks for the replies, ill continue looking into it.

As mentioned, I have no intention of leaving Discovery,...im just trying to decide if it is worth it to upgrade my package from the Classic Core which is simply a hospital plan. It might be helpfull for my medical aid to pay for the odd dentist, doctor etc appointment. But because I go rarely, is it worth it paying more every month instead of just paying for those appointments out of my own pocket.

Any other opinions out there?

Thanks.
 
Well...we decided with the help of my brother who is an adviser for discovery that it is best to be on the classic core or ours then the coastal core...as if you do not use the docs that much...like with us...then you do end up saving. Maybe instead of spending that extra amount that will go into your savings of the medical aid, put it into a separate savings account in your bank. Then when needed you have it, and it stays yours. I think at the end of the year if you haven't used the savings from your MA then it goes to waste..it does not pop over to be added to the next year's savings...just how I understand it.
 
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It's easy... add up how much you are currently spending on out of hospital medical treatment per year and then also calculate how much you would given for medical expenses on the next plan up. If the figure that you are spending is lower than what your medical allowance would be... then you can stay where you are.

But if the figure you are spending is close to or higher than the next medical plan, then it would be wise to upgrade to that plan.
 
The company i work for uses Discovery medical aid scheme, I haven't taken medical aid yet and i think i'm going to take it, but would like some advice first, should I take it? My company offers the core classic plan, they pay half and i'll pay half (R495).
 
Discovery MSA's carry over, so it is a good way to save towards an 'expensive year' in future if you don't use your entire MSA each year.

I'm on Ess Saver, which gives 100% rate for Specialists. Classic Saver gives 200% rate for Specialists, at the cost of R1140 per year more. Decide if that is worth it for you. I don't know what Specialists charge in hospital, but let's say you have one major stay in 10 years. Will the difference in that doctor's bill be R11 400 if you have 100% instead of 200% cover? Anyone know what specialists charge?
 
RisseN said:
Thanks for the replies, ill continue looking into it.

As mentioned, I have no intention of leaving Discovery,...im just trying to decide if it is worth it to upgrade my package from the Classic Core which is simply a hospital plan. It might be helpfull for my medical aid to pay for the odd dentist, doctor etc appointment. But because I go rarely, is it worth it paying more every month instead of just paying for those appointments out of my own pocket.

Any other opinions out there?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I was on Classic Priority... its one up on Classic Core (I think) R400 more.
TO be honest, I havent used any of the benefits. When I needed it for a dental procedure they never covered it, I also have Hayfever and they dont cover it under their Chronic medication.
I think I get a MSA of R4500 a year, I hardly use it except for contact lenses R300 a box and Hayfever meds R300 a box.

Ask your company rep for more info.

I also found out something interesting. If your company is not subsidising your medical aid and you paying for it from your GTC and monthly, just take it out on your name, you would save upto R30 000 a year!!
I would have:(
 
I'm on the Classic Saver option, Used all my MSA in two months! But the in Hospital is brilliant, We have used more than we contributed this year! Its not bad, if you are young and don't get sick often then you can use the MSA for glasses etc...
 
I am on Classic Saver, decent hospital coverage with a savings plan to pay for day-to-day expenses. Works for me.

B
 
My advice would be:

1)Find a Discovery Plan that covers you for what you need.
2)Work out the price difference from your current cover to the new cover
3)Open a savings account
4)Deposit the difference you would have paid for the upgrade into savings account
5)Use savings account when you need to cover medical expenses

Why do I recommend this?

a Friend of mine has the super-duper-all-in-one discover health plan, costs him something like R4.5k a month. This covers him, his wife and his 2 year old son. The other day his kid gets sick again, and had to take money out of his own pocket and max credit cards to cover expenses.

Why the **** do you pay so much when you get so little. He is over some kind of limit... if he took that and just pushed it into a savings account he would've had enough, both him and I crunched the numbers and it would work easy while earning nice interest. However, he's too scared to go off it because of the wife insisting they have it.

Make your own choice. But be prepared with some anal lube to be screwed six ways from Sunday when you try to claim what is rightfully yours.
 
AcidRaZor said:
My advice would be:

1)Find a Discovery Plan that covers you for what you need.
2)Work out the price difference from your current cover to the new cover
3)Open a savings account
4)Deposit the difference you would have paid for the upgrade into savings account
5)Use savings account when you need to cover medical expenses

Why do I recommend this?

a Friend of mine has the super-duper-all-in-one discover health plan, costs him something like R4.5k a month. This covers him, his wife and his 2 year old son. The other day his kid gets sick again, and had to take money out of his own pocket and max credit cards to cover expenses.

Why the **** do you pay so much when you get so little. He is over some kind of limit... if he took that and just pushed it into a savings account he would've had enough, both him and I crunched the numbers and it would work easy while earning nice interest. However, he's too scared to go off it because of the wife insisting they have it.

Make your own choice. But be prepared with some anal lube to be screwed six ways from Sunday when you try to claim what is rightfully yours.
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you have a point on the above, i have considered that option but decided against it, just don't think I would have the ability to restrain myself from using that money for something else, there is the added bonus of going to the doc or dentist and not having to worry about it, just let the medical aid take care of it, peace of mind is something I value
 
RisseN said:
Thanks for the replies, ill continue looking into it.

As mentioned, I have no intention of leaving Discovery,...im just trying to decide if it is worth it to upgrade my package from the Classic Core which is simply a hospital plan. It might be helpfull for my medical aid to pay for the odd dentist, doctor etc appointment. But because I go rarely, is it worth it paying more every month instead of just paying for those appointments out of my own pocket.

Any other opinions out there?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I don't think so - all you get out is what you put in, so you might as well put it in your bank account rather than theirs :) The only advantage is that they will give you your entire year's allowance up front (say you're paying R200 a month into savings, and you get sick in Feb - you can use your entire R2400), whereas you might not have enough in savings at that point if you're saving your own money (in Feb you'd only have R400 saved).

I'm on Coastal Core, and fund everything other than hospital costs from my own bank account.
 
I'm currently on coastal saver. I'm not sure whether there is a big difference between that plan and the coastal core one, besides the medical savings account (msa). What's strange is that you earn hardly any interest on whatever money is in your msa. Wouldn't it be better to go on coastal core and put your msa contribution into an interest-bearing account?
 
hoegh said:
you have a point on the above, i have considered that option but decided against it, just don't think I would have the ability to restrain myself from using that money for something else, there is the added bonus of going to the doc or dentist and not having to worry about it, just let the medical aid take care of it, peace of mind is something I value
Click to expand...

Unfortunately that "peace of mind" you talk about is when the medical aid fails you, and you have to worry where you can get the money for immediate treatment or else they won't do it. a few years ago with his son's birth he had to take out a 30k loan to pay for stuff for his wife because of the unborn baby. Medical aid couldn't cover it because he was (again) over his limit due to other complications. So even though the medical aid covers something, doesn't mean that (if you reach and exceed their magic limit) that they'll foot the bill anymore.

It should be insurance. If my car gets stolen I get the insurance paid out or the car replaced as at the same model/make/mileage I had. Immediately. I don't have to fork out money to get another car before I can claim back several months later!

As for restraint of spending the money on something else... WTF? I know some people have weaknesses but if you wanted peace of mind you wouldn't touch that money at all. So why bother to think about it anyway?

I have a savings account for my tax because I'm an independent contractor. I have quite a bit of money in there now... enough to get me out of my overdraft and then some. But it's staying in there in case SARS calls and wants it (which is every 6 months anyway)

I don't even think about the money. It's a conscious decision you make. Much like pouring thousands of rands down the toilet each year on medical "aid" when you have to take out loans or go into your credit cards or emergency savings fund just to cover medical expenses NOW and hope that the insurance will pay out your claims a few months from now....
 
RisseN said:
Thanks for the replies, ill continue looking into it.

As mentioned, I have no intention of leaving Discovery,...im just trying to decide if it is worth it to upgrade my package from the Classic Core which is simply a hospital plan. It might be helpfull for my medical aid to pay for the odd dentist, doctor etc appointment. But because I go rarely, is it worth it paying more every month instead of just paying for those appointments out of my own pocket.

Any other opinions out there?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

the answer is Keycare Plus covers your normal hospital emergeny unlimited doctors visits on the keycare network so u can just check if your doc is on the network basic dentistry and most of the doctors to dispense medication or you can fill your script at certain chemist and not pay a sent.........and its quite affordable all the other schemes confuses people when u just looking for somethinf like this:D
 
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