gotaway
Expert Member
So, staying in the sticks and not having needed any majorly expensive surgery (discounting a plated clavicle and wrist - both 'high' speed bicycle accidents) I was blissfully ignoring the whole gap cover thing.
Come the past year, hip pain, lack op power cycling, and running simply just hurting. Sitting still only works for 20 minutes. Been taking more pain meds that vitamins (not really, but a lot for me yes)
Landed up at a ortho specialist in Potch, only to refer myself to one in Jozi area. A common question from the few practices I contacted was what (not if) gap cover I have.
Luckily the doc I picked is contracted by my employer imposed medical aid, so he'll be paid by them.
I received a quote for the prostheses he plans to use. The worst case for them came to R84k. (basically 6 screws and 6 sutures). The medical aid is covering just shy of R30k. There is an outside chance of a possible 50% discount on the prostheses quote, waiting for either a discount line to be added, or the totals to be adjusted upwards.
Obviously too late to get gap cover for this, although I've signed up for Stratum's Elite 500 option (recommended by broker). I will have to wait a year for hip op cover, and then they only add another R40k on top of what my medical aid covers for these (I might have a similar, but less broken scenario on the other hip)
Question: Is gap cover actually 'normal' these days, or have I been staying under the proverbial rock?
Come the past year, hip pain, lack op power cycling, and running simply just hurting. Sitting still only works for 20 minutes. Been taking more pain meds that vitamins (not really, but a lot for me yes)
Landed up at a ortho specialist in Potch, only to refer myself to one in Jozi area. A common question from the few practices I contacted was what (not if) gap cover I have.
Luckily the doc I picked is contracted by my employer imposed medical aid, so he'll be paid by them.
I received a quote for the prostheses he plans to use. The worst case for them came to R84k. (basically 6 screws and 6 sutures). The medical aid is covering just shy of R30k. There is an outside chance of a possible 50% discount on the prostheses quote, waiting for either a discount line to be added, or the totals to be adjusted upwards.
Obviously too late to get gap cover for this, although I've signed up for Stratum's Elite 500 option (recommended by broker). I will have to wait a year for hip op cover, and then they only add another R40k on top of what my medical aid covers for these (I might have a similar, but less broken scenario on the other hip)
Question: Is gap cover actually 'normal' these days, or have I been staying under the proverbial rock?