Hospital Only Plans

I.am.Sam

I.am.Sam

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Hello all

Who has the cheapest and most suitable hospital only plan

Discovery one is around R2400 for only hospital

The work is offering some new medical insurance but it covers for day to day and stuff

no real hospital benefits

so looking to add a hospital plan to this

Currently on the classic series on discovery and works out to around R5300 for 2 adults and 2 kids

looking at cheaper options to cover the family
 
I did this exercise a year ago and ended up going with Medihelp.

A year later and I've had a claim or two here and there for my kids and some physio that I had to do and they paid everything with no issues what so ever. I've been pretty impressed!

They were cheaper than the likes of Discovery, Bonitas etc but offered all the same benefits (even better in some cases) that the others did and ontop of it you actually get an annual amount given to you to use for doctors visits or the pharmacy or whatever, which is what paid for 2x doctor visits for my kids and 2x Physio sessions for me.

Definitely worth checking them out. You just don't get the rewards that Discovery has but for me that wasn't such a big deal...
 
Not a hospital plan only, but I'm a big fan of the Discovery Smart Plan + Stratum Gap Cover.

In a nutshell, you get 200% coverage at network hospitals, with R8800 (last time I checked) co-payment if you are admitted to a non-network hospital. Gap cover covers that co-payment once per year.

There's no Medical Savings Account.

You can visit network doctors for a R50 co-payment, and some (most?) of the meds prescribed by network doctors are covered.

I think you get one checkup at a dentist, and you get R600 for OTC medicine.

I like it, because its cheaper than the hospital only plans, and you get some benefits like doctors visits that would normally be excluded by a hospital plan, or come out of your MSA if you have one.

It's about R3200 for my wife and I, including gap cover iirc.
 
I am with medihelp. Its just over R1600 for a good hospital plan. I made the choice because day to day or dentist stuff, its all out of your savings (which mean you pay for it anyway).

I converted my normal medical aid, got my MSA, invested that, and went for the best medical (hospital plan) only.

Why pay for something which you will end up paying out of your own pocket.

I was surprised that even with a root canal, it was all out of my SAVINGS.

That was the bullet through the church for me !
 
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Barbarian Conan said:
Not a hospital plan only, but I'm a big fan of the Discovery Smart Plan + Stratum Gap Cover.

In a nutshell, you get 200% coverage at network hospitals, with R8800 (last time I checked) co-payment if you are admitted to a non-network hospital. Gap cover covers that co-payment once per year.

There's no Medical Savings Account.

You can visit network doctors for a R50 co-payment, and some (most?) of the meds prescribed by network doctors are covered.

I think you get one checkup at a dentist, and you get R600 for OTC medicine.

I like it, because its cheaper than the hospital only plans, and you get some benefits like doctors visits that would normally be excluded by a hospital plan, or come out of your MSA if you have one.

It's about R3200 for my wife and I, including gap cover iirc.
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im on the classic plan as well and i also make use of it for the day to day and stuff

but this job is giving me the main member free cover but its also like a medical insurance with day to day benefits and no hospital cover

so im looking at taking a hospital plan for the family and adding the day to day from work and seeing if i can save some money that way

we paying R5100 (IIRC) on the discovery plan for 2 adults 2 kids

so i was thinking if i can get a hospital plan for around R3000 and the work one works out to around R1000 i can save atleast another R1000 on top of that getting the same benefits
 

Roshmed Hospital Scheme | roshgold

roshgoldinvestment.wixsite.com roshgoldinvestment.wixsite.com

Been with them for a while now and relatively happy.
Dynamics are slightly different compared to your regular hospital plan though.

PM me if you're interested and would like more information.

Website is dodgy as it gets I know.
They are legit though
 
I.am.Sam said:
Hello all

Who has the cheapest and most suitable hospital only plan

Discovery one is around R2400 for only hospital

The work is offering some new medical insurance but it covers for day to day and stuff

no real hospital benefits

so looking to add a hospital plan to this

Currently on the classic series on discovery and works out to around R5300 for 2 adults and 2 kids

looking at cheaper options to cover the family
Click to expand...

I thought you were at the coast? Why aren’t you on a coastal plan?

Coastal Core for me and save my own MSA in my home loan and then have Stratum Gap cover on top of that.
 
I.am.Sam said:
thats if you use it

in 10 years of having medical aid i havnt used it once

wife used twice for 2 kids

kids havnt used it

touch wood but ya rather a cheaper plan with similar benefits
Click to expand...

There is no cheaper option with similar benefits. There are cheaper options with some of the benefits, under certain conditions.

Medical aid is unfortunately not an investment with a return, it is there for the 'if'. It is there because out taxes have been wasted and stolen and a luxury for those who can afford it. If you get it, might as well pay the bit extra and have the cover for IF you need it the day.

I compared genesis, bestmed, bonitas, momentum, keyhealth and a couple of others I can't remember. Reading all their TsCs, and everything they cover under what conditions. Some of them were very cheap, like Genesis, but when I started doing my research, asking questions... it just was not worth it! Be very careful on what they are selling you. Genesis even pushed for the PMB's to be covered by a state hospital. Also check what treatments they allow under the PMB's.

Discovery Coastal Core or Keycare was the best value for money and what they cover and the conditions under which they cover it.

You need to ask yourself, do you want to pay a R1500 for something that APPEARS to be useful on paper or R2000 for something you know is going to be useful.

Also check what hospitals are covered and under what conditions. Most, if not all, of the very cheap plans have conditions. Make sure you read those.

Then my final conclusion will be Discovery Coastal or Keycare (sorry can't remember which one, also depends where you live) and Gap cover by Stratum or similar.

I know people who are on some of the other plans, but they are not on the cheapest options. So I am only comparing the value for the base and cheapest options for each medical scheme.
 
Sorry to side rail the thread: Different companies offer slightly different variations on GAP cover
I found a gap cover that covers out of hospital specialists bills if a portion is covered by medical aid.
I have been paid back the portion that was not covered by my MSA from a visit to an orthopedic surgeon. The total bill was about 1K, medical aid covered less than 500 and my gap cover refunded me the difference
 
I.am.Sam said:
cause of the possibility of going to inland areas and them not paying out
Click to expand...

As long as you permanently reside in coastal areas they pay you out for any emergency that may arise in land.

Stupid waste of money not to be on a coastal plan, go read the contracts and adjust that accordingly.
 
RedViking said:
There is no cheaper option with similar benefits. There are cheaper options with some of the benefits, under certain conditions.

Medical aid is unfortunately not an investment with a return, it is there for the 'if'. It is there because out taxes have been wasted and stolen and a luxury for those who can afford it. If you get it, might as well pay the bit extra and have the cover for IF you need it the day.

I compared genesis, bestmed, bonitas, momentum, keyhealth and a couple of others I can't remember. Reading all their TsCs, and everything they cover under what conditions. Some of them were very cheap, like Genesis, but when I started doing my research, asking questions... it just was not worth it! Be very careful on what they are selling you. Genesis even pushed for the PMB's to be covered by a state hospital. Also check what treatments they allow under the PMB's.

Discovery Coastal Core or Keycare was the best value for money and what they cover and the conditions under which they cover it.

You need to ask yourself, do you want to pay a R1500 for something that APPEARS to be useful on paper or R2000 for something you know is going to be useful.

Also check what hospitals are covered and under what conditions. Most, if not all, of the very cheap plans have conditions. Make sure you read those.

Then my final conclusion will be Discovery Coastal or Keycare (sorry can't remember which one, also depends where you live) and Gap cover by Stratum or similar.

I know people who are on some of the other plans, but they are not on the cheapest options. So I am only comparing the value for the base and cheapest options for each medical scheme.
Click to expand...
1000 times this.
 
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SauRoNZA said:
As long as you permanently reside in coastal areas they pay you out for any emergency that may arise in land.

Stupid waste of money not to be on a coastal plan, go read the contracts and adjust that accordingly.
Click to expand...

So I’m busy relooking at the plans this year as I’m coastal again after nearly a decade.

One thing I picked up already which I though should be mentioned is that the coastal plans cover less(in cost per procedure) and only do 100% coverage instead of 200% but gives you ability to go to any private hospital.

That basically means your need for gap cover is more and thus need to factor in that cost when comparing plans(don’t use discovery for gap, it’s crap the last time I checked plans and asked around medical specialists).

Still not sure which is best tbh. Meh..

Why change then? Well was looking up docs for some basic things and realized most of the “good” specialists are at off network hospitals in Cpt(Jhb this wasn’t always the case but then there are a lot more group hospitals vs one off private).

Anyway not a thing if you trust in randomly assigned doc though I prefer asking their peers who to avoid.
 
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