We tested them side by side and verified their medical aid plans.
This is a complete list of the best medical aid schemes in South Africa.
In this in-depth guide you’ll learn:
So if you’re ready to go “all in” with the best medical aid schemes in South Africa, this beginners guide is for you.
Let’s dive right in…
| 🩺 Medical Aid | ✔️ Plans Under R2000? | ⚕️ Plan Offered | 💵 Monthly Premiums | 👉 Sign Up Now |
| 🥇 Discovery Health | ☑️Yes | 💙KeyCare Series | 💰Starting From R1 102 Per Month | 👉 Apply Now |
| 🥈Bonitas Medical Aid | ☑️Yes | 💙BonEssential Select Hospital Plan | 💰Starting From R1 998 Per Month | 👉 Apply Now |
| 🥉 Momentum Medical Aid | ☑️Yes | 💙Evolve Option | 💰Starting From R1 687 Per Month | 👉 Apply Now |
| 4. Sizwe Hosmed Medical Aid | ☑️Yes | 💙Essential Copper | 💰Starting From R1 870 Per Month | 👉 Apply Now |
| 5. Fedhealth | ☑️Yes | 💙myFED | 💰Starting From R1 590 Per Month | 👉 Apply Now |
| 6. Medshield Medical Aid | ☑️Yes | 💙Medshield Swift | 💰Starting From R2 037 Per Month | 👉 Apply Now |
| 7. Genesis | ☑️Yes | 💙MED-200 Plus | 💰Starting From R3 000 Per Month | 👉 Apply Now |
| 8. Bestmed | ☑️Yes | 💙BestMed Beat1 Network Hospital Plan | 💰Starting From R1 873 Per Month | 👉 Apply Now |
| 9. KeyHealth | ☑️Yes | 💙Essence | 💰Starting From R1 990 Per Month | 👉 Apply Now |
| 10. Profmed | ☑️Yes | 💙ProSelect | 💰Starting From R956 Per Month | 👉 Apply Now |
👉 Research indicates that 9.4 million people in South Africa currently have a Medical Aid policy. Tshwane is home to the largest number of medical aid scheme participants. Why do so many people in South Africa have medical aid?
👉 The reason for this is that healthcare can be quite costly, and neither public nor private hospitals are guaranteed to provide the best service.
👉 In the absence of medical aid, many private hospitals compel immediate payment. Private hospitals are required by law to stabilise emergency patients without medical insurance and then transfer them to a public hospital. So, if you want the best medical care in South Africa, it is a good idea to obtain a medical aid plan.
👉 In this article we name the best medical aids in South Africa after we compared & reviewed them with other medical aid scheme. Click and compare medical aids here.
👉 Nonetheless, the topic of who offers the finest medical aid in South Africa must be raised. Many medical plans and services increase in cost as their beneficiaries age because of the higher expected costs associated with caring for an ageing population – see the best medical aids for 65 and older / pensioners.
👉 Read on for a list of the 10 best South African medical aid schemes.
👉 The number of people who stand to gain from Discovery is staggering. Discovery currently assists over 2.5 million beneficiaries with their healthcare expenses. You may be curious about the popularity of Discovery Health Plans in South Africa. Here’s what makes Discovery Health so popular:
👉 Monthly premiums start from R1 102 per member for the KeyCare Series with medical cover for both in-hospital and out-of-hospital treatment by providers in a specified network and goes up to R10 303 per member for the Executive Plan with extensive cover for in-hospital and day-to-day benefits, extended chronic medicine cover, and unlimited Above Threshold Benefit.
👉 You can submit a claim fast and easy in the following ways:
Phone: 0860 99 88 77
👉 After Discovery, Bonitas Medical Support Services holds 8.3% of the South African market. About 731,500 people will benefit from Bonitas. This is why many people in South Africa sign up for medical policies through Bonitas:
👉 Bonitas monthly contributions start at R2 287 for a Principal Member, R1 690 for a spouse/adult dependant and R739 per child (max 3) on the BonEssential Hospital Plan and go up to R9 853 for a main member, R9 292 for additional adult, and R2 006 for a child for the BonComprehensive plan that offers abundant savings, an above threshold benefit and extensive hospital cover.
👉 The minimum general waiting period for Bonitas medical aid is three months for all benefits. Some plans, however, have a waiting period of 12 months, especially regarding a pre-existing condition.
👉 You can send in your claim in the following ways:
👉 Follow these simple steps to get your claims paid quickly:
34 Melrose Blvd, Birnam
Phone for General Queries: 0860002108
👉 There are a lot of satisfied South Africans thanks to Momentum Health. With 284,400 members, Momentum Health is the third-largest medical insurance provider in South Africa. The options available in Momentum are many. There are numerous options, including public, private, and network hospitals.
👉 Momentum monthly premiums start at R1 687 for the main member on the Evolve Option and go up to R13 573 for the main member on the Summit Option.
👉 The general waiting period is 3 months, but since pregnancy is considered a pre-existing condition, it is excluded from all benefits for the first 12 months of scheme membership.
👉 You can submit a claim in several ways:
👉 To make sure your claim is processed quickly and accurately, including the following information:
201 Umhlanga Ridge Blvd
👉 More than 70,000 people are currently enrolled in Sizwe Hosmed. This health insurance scheme is excellent since it provides comprehensive protection. The customer service is fantastic, and their website is simple to navigate.
👉 Sizwe Hosmed is the 8th largest medical scheme in the South Africa and growing quickly.
👉 Sizwe Hosmed provide access to effective and integrated managed care.
➡️ The Sizwe Hosmed scheme has the following plans to choose from:
➡️ A pregnancy benefit is available.
➡️ They provide comprehensive protection against over 270 PMBs and 26 other chronic diseases.
➡️ There is no cap on hospital coverage.
➡️ They provide infinite protection for accidents and medical emergencies.
➡️ There is also a Sizwe Hosmed Programmes.
👉 Sizwe Hosmed monthly premiums range from R1,870.00 pm for the Essential Copper plan, R2,140.00 pm for the Silver Hospital Plan, R3,092.00 pm for the Access Saver 25 Savings plan, and R8,415 pm for the Titanium Execuitvie Comprehensive Plan.
👉 Depending on the medical aid scheme you join, the average waiting period for Sizwe Hosmed benefits is three months. Pre-existing conditions have a 12-month waiting period.
👉 Members can submit claims using one of the following:
👉 Doctors and healthcare practitioners usually submit claims for their services directly to Sizwe Hosmed on your behalf, but some healthcare practitioners require you to pay their accounts first and then claim a refund from Sizwe Hosmed.
👉 To ensure that your claim is valid according to the Medical Schemes Act and Sizwe Hosmed’s Rules, please ensure that the following details appear on the printed account:
Contact number: 0860 100 871
👉 It’s hard to believe that Fedhealth has been operating since 1936. Fedhealth members can choose from several different types of low-cost medical coverage.
👉 Medshield and Oxygen Medical Assistance have joined forces. Over 110 000 people are a part of this scheme. Since its founding in 1968, Medshield has grown to become a leading provider of medical insurance in South Africa. Medshield has an AA- credit rating in the industry.
👉 Medshield medical aid premiums range from R1,584 per month to R7,587 per month, comprising some of the most affordably priced ranges available.
👉 Medshield Medical Scheme’s general waiting period is 3 consecutive months and the condition-specific waiting period is 12 consecutive months.
👉 New Members may be subject to late-joiner penalties or a waiting period for pre-existing conditions.
✅ Contact number: 086 000 2120 or (+27) 10 597 4701 for members outside the borders of South Africa.
✅ Facsimile: +27 10 597 4706
👉 Genesis is one of the best open medical schemes in South Africa according to the Hellopeter.com index, which ranks medical insurance providers based on factors such as member satisfaction, financial strength, membership growth, average beneficiary age, and quality of service.
👉 According to the most current GTC Healthcare Consulting Medical Assistance Survey, it is one of the most cost-effective healthcare plans available in South Africa.
👉 Your premiums will include an allocation to cover any uninsured medical expenses you incur.
👉 These payments are made to your account every three months (any balance in that account is added).
👉 Genesis Medical Aid premiums are highly competitive and range from R1,530 R3,000
👉 Genesis Medical Scheme’s general waiting period is 3 consecutive months and the condition-specific waiting period is 12 consecutive months.
Existing Members – 0860 10 20 10
New Members – 0861 56 46 66
👉 After the exclusive LA-Health Medical Plan, Bestmed is one of the largest open medical schemes in South Africa. The estimated total of Bestmed’s members and their dependents is 96,489.
👉 At the time of writing, monthly premiums for the cheapest BestMed Beat1 Network Hospital Plan started at R1 873 for a member, with an additional R1 456 for an adult dependant and R789 for a child dependant, to a maximum of 3 child dependants. Additional children join at no additional cost.
👉 The most expensive plan at the time was the Pace4 Comprehensive Plan, with monthly contributions of R10,343 per member and R10,343 per adult dependant. For a child dependant the extra contribution was R2,423 up to 3 child dependants with additional children added as beneficiaries of the scheme at no extra cost.
👉 There can be a general waiting period of three months or a specific waiting period of 12 months for a certain condition.
👉 BestMed Medical Scheme will sometimes only pay a claim if it is a PMB. This can happen if you are in a waiting period or if you are getting treatment for a condition that your plan doesn’t cover.
👉 If your healthcare provider does not submit claims to BestMed, one must submit the original claim directly to the fund administrators.
👉 You can claim by means of the BestMed App, or by scanning and emailing your claim to them.
👉 Details that should appear on all claim documents include:
👉 You will receive an email confirmation when your claim is received and indexed.
BestMed Medical Scheme, Glenfield Office Park, 361 Oberon Avenue, Faerie Glen, Pretoria
Phone: +27 (0)86 000 2378
👉 KeyHealth insures around 69,000 people and provides them with a selection of 6 different plans. The most popular plan is Gold, with premiums starting at R7,036 for a single member and going up subject to dependants. The Health Booster is an optional expansion that provides coverage for preventative care and a maternity programme across the board.
👉 The Entry level plan is ESSENCE, with premiums starting at R1,990 for a single member and R1,595 for Adult Dependant and R717 for Child Dependant. The Health Booster is an optional expansion that provides coverage for preventative care and a maternity programme across the board.
👉 There can b e a general waiting period of three months or a specific waiting period of 12 months for a certain condition.
👉KeyHealth is a trustworthy and comprehensive medical aid provider. New Members 35 years or older may be subject to late-joiner penalties on KeyHealth Medical Aid Plans
PPS Centurion Square,
Cnr Gordon Hood & Heuwel Roads,
Centurion
👉 Profmed is a South African medical system restricted to post-secondary educated professionals. There are 10 different plans to choose from, and together they cover almost 70,000 people. A single member’s premium might be anything from R956 to R10,695. You can go to any hospital you like, or you can opt for a cheaper plan that requires you to go to hospitals inside a network.
👉 A single member’s premium might be anything from R690 to R8,178.
👉 There can be a general waiting period of three months or a specific waiting period of 12 months for a certain condition.
Address: 15 Eton Rd, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193
Telephone: 0860 679 200
☑️ When it comes to health insurance in South Africa, most people choose Discovery Health Medical Scheme. When you sign up for Discovery Health Medical Scheme, you can rest assured that your care will be handled professionally and competently at every turn. There are 25 different health plans available to choose from, so you can find one that works for your budget and health situation.
☑️ Bestmed dominates the market here. It is 3.3 percentage points better than Medihelp and 6 percentage points better than the industry standard. Bestmed is shaking up the industry because of its strong solvency ratio, inexpensive co-payments, and minimal administrative costs.
☑️ With over 1.3 million members and 2.7 million beneficiaries, Discovery is by far the largest medical aid provider in South Africa.
☑️ The rule of thumb is that these should not exceed 10% of your monthly income at an individual or household level.
☑️ A network provider is a healthcare provider or facility that has a contractual agreement with a particular medical aid scheme to provide medical services to its members at a discounted rate. These providers may include doctors, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and other healthcare professionals.
☑️ If you are a member of a medical aid scheme that has a network of providers, you may be required to use these providers in order to receive full coverage for your medical expenses. This means that if you choose to use a healthcare provider or facility outside of the network, you may be required to pay a portion of the costs out of your own pocket.
☑️ The use of network providers can help to control healthcare costs for both the medical aid scheme and its members. By negotiating discounted rates with healthcare providers, medical aid schemes are able to provide their members with more affordable healthcare options. However, it is important to note that the use of network providers can also limit your choice of healthcare providers and facilities, and may require you to travel further for medical treatment.
