Is it worth it having medical aid in SA?

Is it worth it having medical aid in SA?

  • Yes

    Votes: 94 82.5%

  • No

    Votes: 20 17.5%
  • Total voters
    114
Kevin Lancaster

Kevin Lancaster

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Medical aid schemes are quite expensive for comprehensive coverage. It is worth it having medical aid, or are you better off with only a hospital plan or relying on public healthcare?
 
At the very least a hospital plan. You can probably get away with other non-essential care out of your own pocket. But for emergencies and big procedures, you need to be covered. That being said, I have heard wonderful things about the specialist divisions of our public hospitals. I think it is the more "general" healthcare areas that aren't up to standard.

Is it worth it? Yes.
 
It's insane NOT to have medical aid in South Africa.
 
I don't know. My wife and I used to only have a hospital plan but then I moved us up to a comprehensive package and it's costing us a lot more with seemingly very little benefits.... well except peace of mind. Maybe peace of mind is worth paying for.
 
Absolutely, my cousin did not have a medical aid, woke up one moring complaining of a very big pain in his chest, his mother suspected a heart-attack, but had to take him to Pretoria's state hospital [at 8am], they sat and waited until 4pm, round-about 2pm he had a stroke, and had some serious complications from this. Not saying the stroke would have been avoided, but had he gone to mediclinic or somewhere, I'm sure he would have had a better chance.

Then, we still have to gather a R100k for a 'life-saving' operation for him, or they could schedule it in 2 [yes 2] years... should he still be alive.

Even if its just a hospital plan, get one...
 
Instead of a medical aid, I save the money myself, which is vastly more than any medical aid. Oh and of course I have a hospital plan.
 
Unless you heave deep pockets and a sudden R500k hospital bill does not cripple your finances, one would be insane not to have medical aid in this country.
 
I don't think its worth it but I still have medical aid. Mainly for the medical savings and yes I'd rather go private but also because it gives you more options, you can just go to the closest hospital.


Hospital plan is definitely not worth it. They have become very expensive and cover next to nothing, worth paying just a little more for some savings.
The other thing is that you can go to government but you pay according to your earnings, so if you earn a salary you might end up paying close to private rates anyway.

Its a really sitty setup.
 
Bizkit87 said:
Absolutely, my cousin did not have a medical aid, woke up one moring complaining of a very big pain in his chest, his mother suspected a heart-attack, but had to take him to Pretoria's state hospital [at 8am], they sat and waited until 4pm, round-about 2pm he had a stroke, and had some serious complications from this. Not saying the stroke would have been avoided, but had he gone to mediclinic or somewhere, I'm sure he would have had a better chance.

Then, we still have to gather a R100k for a 'life-saving' operation for him, or they could schedule it in 2 [yes 2] years... should he still be alive.

Even if its just a hospital plan, get one...
Click to expand...

No hospital can refuse a medical emergency. So you can go private and then they will transfer once stable.
 
Nerfherder said:
No hospital can refuse a medical emergency. So you can go private and then they will transfer once stable.
Click to expand...

That wasn't the case, I'll ask her again for the sequence of event, but believe they did go to a priv hospital and got told to go to Pretoria Acd.
 
Nerfherder said:
No hospital can refuse a medical emergency.
Click to expand...

They certainly can and do. If you experience an emergency, they very often refuse to admit a patient without the family paying a ridiculous amount as a deposit. From what I have heard from a couple of family members and friends who have personally been in this situation, the deposit alone was anywhere from R40k-R150k for emergencies that invariably requires big procedures.
 
Nerfherder said:
No hospital can refuse a medical emergency. So you can go private and then they will transfer once stable.
Click to expand...

You are right, they can't refuse a medical emergency, but there responsibility lies with stabilising the patient and transferring them to a state facility.
 
Young and single, maybe just a hospital plan. As you get older and the body isn't as strong as it used to be, I'd say yes. Add some kids to the mix and it's a no brainer.
It is VERY expensive though, perhaps starting a personal medical savings account for day to day cover could actually work out better.
 
I didn't have medical aid or a hospital plan when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had my treatment and ops the first year privately and paid cash. I am now on a hospital plan which covers everything I need in hospital as well as ANYTHING cancer related, out of hospital. I've had major breast reconstruction, which has taken 2 years, to the tune of nearly R350 000 and they have covered everything in full.
 
Public health care?

I'm surprised to see that there are actually people who voted no to this question. Have experienced public health care at its worst (lazy, arrogant "gods" called doctors slagging off most of their duties to their slaves called nurses, with the latter too overworked to really give good care to any patient unfortunate to occupy a bed in "their" ward.)
 
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