7 best medical aids and companies in South Africa in 2024
Medical expenses can pile up extremely fast when one is hospitalized. With chronic medications, doctor’s visits, hospital stays, and emergency surgeries, one can easily find themselves overwhelmed by medical costs. This is why medical aid service providers were established in numerous countries across the world, including South Africa. Which is the best medical aid in South Africa today?
Source: UGC
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There are numerous features to consider when choosing a medical aid scheme. Some of the most significant include the monthly premiums, features, hospital networks, and company reputation.
Which is the best medical aid in South Africa?
Here is a look at the top seven medical aid schemes in South Africa.
1. Bestmed Medical Scheme
Bestmed is a non-profit, open healthcare scheme that is registered with the Council for Medical Schemes in South Africa. It has been providing healthcare for over 52 years. Bestmed provides healthcare aid for over 197 000 lives and offers a choice of 13 plan options grouped under the Pace, Beat, and Pulse brands.
The premiums for a single contributor range from R1,760 to R8,642, with Pace 1 being the most popular option. Here is a look at some of the company’s schemes and their monthly premiums.
- Beat1 Network: From R1,570
- Beat1: From R1,746
- Rhythm2: From R1,760
- Rhythm1: From R1,200
- Pace1: From R4,242
- Pace1: From R6,026
2. Discovery Health Medical Scheme
Discovery Medical Aid is an independent non-profit entity governed by the Medical Schemes Act and regulated by the Council for Medical Schemes. It is the largest open medical aid scheme in South Africa and accounts for 31% of beneficiaries in the entire market.
The scheme has 1.342 million members and over 2.5 million beneficiaries. Discovery Health has 23 plans spread across seven schemes. Here is a look at the seven scheme options from which one chooses their preferred plan.
- KeyCare: From R968
- Smart: From R1,483
- Core: From R1,781
- Saver: From R2,209
- Priority: From R3,472
- Comprehensive - From R4,585
- Executive: From R7,688
3. Medihelp
Source: UGC
Medihelp medical aid offers South Africans access to quality, private healthcare coverage through a wide range of plans. With over 90,000 members and 205,438 beneficiaries, it is among the largest open medical schemes in the country.
With more than a century’s experience in this industry, you can be sure that you will be getting one of the best services in the country. Here is a look at Medihelp’s plans and their monthly premiums.
- Student: from R756
- Hospital: from R1,776
- Savings: from R2,310
- Comprehensive: from R2,394
4. Bonitas
Bonitas is one of the five largest South African open medical schemes. It currently provides healthcare aid coverage for over 700,000 people. The company offers 15 healthcare aid options, with the Edge Plan being the most popular.
Bonitas covers about 15% of the open market share. Here is a look at its plan schemes.
- Edge (best for young adults): From R1,3382
- Traditional: From R2,322
- Savings: From R2,230
- Hospital plans: From R1,784
- Income-based: From R1,274
5. Momentum Medical Aid
Momentum Health covers approximately 298,000 PEOPLE, accounting for about 5.8% of the open care sector and 3.2% of the total market share. The company is also among the five largest South African open healthcare schemes.
Its clients can choose among 23 healthcare aid plans. Momentum has some of the most affordable hospital plans in South Africa. The Ingwe plan is possibly the cheapest medical aid in South Africa, with a contributor only having to pay R482 per month.
Here is a look at the available plans and their monthly premiums.
- Ingwe: From R482
- Evolve: From R1,424
- Custom: From R1,808
- Incentive: From R2,354
- Extender: From R5,544
- Summit: From R11,331
6. Fedhealth
Fedhealth provides cover for over 140,000 South Africans through a scheme comprised of 25 medical aid plans. Members have the option of choosing a hospital or selecting a plan that uses a network of hospitals. The schemes range from R1,275 for the cheapest option to R11,790 for the top plan. Here is a look at the Fedhealth medical aid prices.
- MyFED: From R1,275
- flexiFED 1: From R1,481
- flexiFED 2: From R1,998
- flexiFED 3: From R2,282
- flexiFED 4: From R3,053
- MaxiFED Maxima Exec: From R7,460
- MaxiFED Maxima Plus: From R11,790
7. Keyhealth Medical Scheme
Source: UGC
Keyhealth provides medical aid coverage to more than 65,000 people through a six-plan scheme. Premiums for a single contributor range from R1,697 to R9,624 per month, with the Gold option being the most popular one. Here are the various Keyhealth plans and their monthly premiums.
- Essence: From R1,696
- Origin: From R1,939
- Equilibrium: From R2,196
- Silver: From R4,084
- Gold: From R5,380
- Platinum: From R9,624
Have you been looking for the best medical aid in South Africa today? This guide has everything you need to know about the top seven options, their features, monthly premiums, and market share.
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
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Source: Briefly News
Peris Walubengo (Lifestyle writer) Peris Walubengo is a content creator with 5 years of experience writing articles, researching, editing, and proofreading. She has a Bachelor of Commerce & IT from the University of Nairobi and joined Briefly.co.za in November 2019. The writer completed a Google News Initiate Course. She covers bios, marketing & finance, tech, fashion & beauty, recipes, movies & gaming reviews, culture & travel. You can email her at perisrodah254@gmail.com.
Jackline Wangare (Lifestyle writer) Jackline Simwa is a content writer at Briefly.co.za, where she has worked since mid-2021. She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University. She has more than five years in writing. Jackline graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (2019) and a Diploma in Marketing (2015) from Kenyatta University. In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024. Email: simwajackie2022@gmail.com.
