Discovery Vitality Continues to decrease bennefits (First the Gym then ....)

[metree]

Just a note:

Have you seen the latest from Discovery.

https://www.discovery.co.za/discove...st_news/more_ways_to_earn_vitality_points.xml

Carryover points

As part of our ongoing efforts to encourage regular healthy activities, the carryover points will be removed from 2014. Vitality points you earn in 2012 will still qualify for carryover points into 2013, however, after that carryover points will no longer apply. We‘ve made this change to promote positive behaviour change and to not only help you know your health and get healthier, but also to stay healthy. The best way to stay healthy is to keep up regular physical activity, regular health checks and making healthier choices over the long term.

I love how they make it sound like they are doing us all a favour.

 

[tiaanels]

What happened to the gym?

 

[Mila]

You have to go more. Twice a month is not enough. 3 times is now the minimum.

 

[metree]

At one stage if you joined Vitality you got you gym for nothing. Later on you would only get it for "free" if you had a vitality credit card and were on diamond status. That fell away this year.

 

[BloemGuy]

I love how they make it sound like they are doing us all a favour.

I get into heated discussions with friends, colleagues and family every year when Vitality announces changes to the points structure which upset them for some or other reason. Once one realise that Vitality is (1) a business and (2) intended to over time get you to live a healthier lifestyle, it clearly makes sense that they need to move the goalposts for earning points every year.

And because the business needs to break even (at least) or maybe even make a profit, they need to review benefits as well, irritating as that may be. I would guess that a lot of the benefits members on the higher levels earn are funded by the monthly fees of the inactive Blue members, but the money to give me as a Diamond member monthly benefits to the tune of R1000-R3000 needs to come from somewhere...

I don't always like the changes, but I understand most of them. As with the carry-over points being dropped, and the gym visit requirement being upped. Quite frankly, if I was in charge of Vitality I'd make that requirement way higher than 3 visits a month, and I suspect it will gradually move up to a level that makes health sense.

The one change for 2013 that got my feathers ruffled was the MSB being replaced by the Health Wallet, which now cost R180 a year additionally for some dubious insurance benefit and no option to retain the original product.

 

[AlmightyBender]

1) They are helping you by encouraging you to actually do the things that make you healthy. Perhaps more difficult to get points but you will physically benefit
2) If you are going to gym less than 3 times per month then why exactly are you paying for it? I have never understood this

I have achieved 60000+ points this year excluding carryover points and it was so easy and inexpensive. It is very easy to get to gold. Also this was done with only one fitness assessment. You are allowed two and the points for that are huge.

 

[diabolus]

It is fine if they stop the carry over , but then they must drop the limits on the activities! There's even a limit on the gym visits. You get points everytime you visit the gym, but you can only go x amount of times and then you stop earning points...helllooo stupid system.

The healthy activity section has like a 15k points limit per year, so you do like 3-5 events (running/cycling) and go to the gym for 3 months and you hit the limit, what then? I hit the "stay active" limit in March this year and then didn't do anything for the rest of the year. Well i exercised, but i did not submit anything to Discovery about it because they are not giving me any points for it (so what's the point, it's their loss.)

Then you are forced to go do a zillion bloody tests that DOES NOT MAKE YOU HEALTHY! It is just tests. Anyone that tells me doing fitness assessments are going to make me healthier than actually going for a run is clearly missing the point.

Hopefully Discovery realise they are talking through their arses by saying they are promoting healthy activity but yet they CAP the points you can earn for doing said activities... *boggle*

 

[AlmightyBender]

It is fine if they stop the carry over , but then they must drop the limits on the activities! There's even a limit on the gym visits. You get points everytime you visit the gym, but you can only go x amount of times and then you stop earning points...helllooo stupid system.

The healthy activity section has like a 15k points limit per year, so you do like 3-5 events (running/cycling) and go to the gym for 3 months and you hit the limit, what then? I hit the "stay active" limit in March this year and then didn't do anything for the rest of the year. Well i exercised, but i did not submit anything to Discovery about it because they are not giving me any points for it (so what's the point, it's their loss.)

Then you are forced to go do a zillion bloody tests that DOES NOT MAKE YOU HEALTHY! It is just tests. Anyone that tells me doing fitness assessments are going to make me healthier than actually going for a run is clearly missing the point.

Hopefully Discovery realise they are talking through their arses by saying they are promoting healthy activity but yet they CAP the points you can earn for doing said activities... *boggle*

Tests are critically important to health. How else are you going to know you have high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, prostate cancer etc? Catching these things early vastly impoves your ability to survive and recover and is one hell of a lot cheaper to treat than if it was picked up late. Prevention is better than cure. Always!

Also from my interaction with Vitality I'm understanding it that they are only trying to educate you as to your level of health and the lifestyle factors affecting your health. It is then up to you realise the benefits of exercise and eating well and take it from there. Also the limit was 25000 point or something. In future they are reducing the points you get from fitness activities, especially assessments in order to encourage you to do more.

Also the limit on the points is necessary to encourage you to address ALL aspects of your health from food to mental health and all inbetween.

I think it's a great system which provides members with good quality advice and health information if they are willing to play ball. If you aren't willing to play ball then why are you paying for it?

 

[BloemGuy]

1)
I have achieved 60000+ points this year excluding carryover points and it was so easy and inexpensive. It is very easy to get to gold. Also this was done with only one fitness assessment. You are allowed two and the points for that are huge.

Jip, earning points is not all that difficult. I'm on 89000 points excluding carry-over for the year, also with only one fitness assessment. That's double gold almost. I don't see the need for them to adjust the thresholds because one has more than enough opportunity to earn sufficient points. (I have noticed that the guys on family memberships where not all the adult members participate fully have some trouble getting to gold, but that's not Vitality's problem.)

The points for participating in fitness assessments have been dropped from 7500 a few years ago to 3000 with booster points based on your fitness level needed for the bulk of your bonus points (up to 12000). This trend is continuing and they announced:

"Based on your level of fitness, you can then boost the 2 500 points for a Vitality Fitness Assessment to up to 7 500 points. Therefore, the shift is from a participation-based points system to a more rewards-based points system."

 

[Necuno]

Discovery Vitality Continues to decrease bennefits (First the Gym then ....)

Pointless for myself since they don't cover my yoga or home gym. Besides I can get the same discounts on movies by just having ebucks...

 

[Haldex]

They want us to be healthy and pay more for medical insurance, if we healthy they pay out less and make higher profits.

 

[ClintZA]

... intended to over time get you to live a healthier lifestyle...

1) They are helping you by encouraging you to actually do the things that make you healthy

Clearly the business profitability side greatly outweighs the "getting you healthy" side based on what Diabolus says. I understand the limitation on healthy points for gym as many just swipe their card and leave, or sit at gym having a coffee, but you really should get points for every running/cycling event you do if getting you healthy is their aim.

 

[modern10]

I get into heated discussions with friends, colleagues and family every year when Vitality announces changes to the points structure which upset them for some or other reason. Once one realise that Vitality is (1) a business and (2) intended to over time get you to live a healthier lifestyle, it clearly makes sense that they need to move the goalposts for earning points every year.

And because the business needs to break even (at least) or maybe even make a profit, they need to review benefits as well, irritating as that may be. I would guess that a lot of the benefits members on the higher levels earn are funded by the monthly fees of the inactive Blue members, but the money to give me as a Diamond member monthly benefits to the tune of R1000-R3000 needs to come from somewhere...

I don't always like the changes, but I understand most of them. As with the carry-over points being dropped, and the gym visit requirement being upped. Quite frankly, if I was in charge of Vitality I'd make that requirement way higher than 3 visits a month, and I suspect it will gradually move up to a level that makes health sense.

The one change for 2013 that got my feathers ruffled was the MSB being replaced by the Health Wallet, which now cost R180 a year additionally for some dubious insurance benefit and no option to retain the original product.

+100000000

 

[Wyzak]

Pointless for myself since they don't cover my yoga or home gym. Besides I can't get the same discounts on movies by just having ebucks...

You can get a Polar Heart rate monitor and earn points doing whatever it is you are doing. As long as you can maintain a heart rate above 60% for 30 minutes, or above 70% for bonus points.

 

[Necuno]

You can get a Polar Heart rate monitor and earn points doing whatever it is you are doing. As long as you can maintain a heart rate above 60% for 30 minutes, or above 70% for bonus points.

What for? Why would I want to have vitality?

 

[Sinbad]

What for? Why would I want to have vitality?

Do you shop at pick n pay?

 

[Necuno]

Do you shop at pick n pay?

No. Food market, food lovers, checkers and Woolworths. Amount of petrol I spent going to pnp negates the saving, besides only thing I could by there isn't a lot after food market and food lovers.


:edit

Let see:
Food market: Goats milk and cheese from belnori.
Food lovers: Lamb, chicken, turkey and fish, raw nuts, fruit.
Checkers: vegetables, normal bread, fruit, tuna, sardines, household chemicals.
Vovo Telo / Break basket: sourdough bread, panini, ciabatta.
Woolworhts: Greek yogurt, raw acacia honey, fruit.
Health shop / Woolworhts : earth friendly chemicals.

Then that leaves about nothing for PnP unless they up the game and begin to stock things I need...

 

[absynth]

All Medical Aids seems to reduce benefits every year with the increase of their annual fees.

 

[diabolus]

Tests are critically important to health. How else are you going to know you have high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, prostate cancer etc? Catching these things early vastly impoves your ability to survive and recover and is one hell of a lot cheaper to treat than if it was picked up late. Prevention is better than cure. Always!

Also from my interaction with Vitality I'm understanding it that they are only trying to educate you as to your level of health and the lifestyle factors affecting your health. It is then up to you realise the benefits of exercise and eating well and take it from there. Also the limit was 25000 point or something. In future they are reducing the points you get from fitness activities, especially assessments in order to encourage you to do more.

Also the limit on the points is necessary to encourage you to address ALL aspects of your health from food to mental health and all inbetween.

I think it's a great system which provides members with good quality advice and health information if they are willing to play ball. If you aren't willing to play ball then why are you paying for it?

I'm not saying tests are not beneficial, but Discovery are contradicting themselves when they say they want you to "participate in a healthy lifestyle" more , yet they don't actually allow you to gain that many points in doing so.

Fitness Tests, Bio-kinetic Tests, Physio Tests , come on, seriously. These things are NOT FREE . For me to do all these tests every year can easily be R600-R900 . I'm not talking about the screening tests (the cholesterol,weight,sugar,HIV). I can understand the argument for doing the medical tests , which is usually a 15 minute thing and free and can indicate a variety of health issues.

The other tests however, the ones that you need to go to a Physio, Dietician or Bio-kinetics person , those are not free and they don't necessarily do anything (it might actually end up costing you more if one of those people decides you need to visit them regularly, trust me Physio is very expensive and you pay for that out of your savings account) . It's not like it's going to make me fit or even make me exercise. You get more points for going for a Fitness assessment than taking part in a regular 21km half marathon road race. Not only that, you can earn more points doing all these little "assessments" than actually -doing- something.

My only conclusion is, there are some sort of business benefit lurking in there between Discovery and Fitness related doctors. I bet , before this whole Fitness/Diet thing from Discovery, very few people ever knew what these people did, as you only encounter them if you are very active and serious about sport.

 

[Boris Becker]

I currently pay R105 x2 (for my wife and I) for virgin active on my discover card with +- R100 cash back. How will this change in 2013? Will the cash back fall away?