For the foreseeable future and possibly forever, medical aid is here to stay in this country. Theoretically, the provision of free healthcare for all citizens in South Africa is to be admired and supported, practically and morally, but this is an enormous undertaking, requiring ongoing, immense investment in the healthcare services in this country.

Shortcomings in The State’s System

Practically and currently, this system is unable to cope effectively. Essential diagnostic, surgical, and numerous medical procedures and treatments are frequently postponed, simply because of logistics and the lack of sufficient funds to maintain equipment, fill all vacancies, carry sufficient stocks of medicines in hospital pharmacies and clinics, and even provide all the required hospital beds for in-patients.

It is a situation that cannot be fixed overnight. Improving and correcting the current conditions will take time, intensive professional management, a great deal of commitment, and huge injections of cash.  

One and Only Healthcare Solution

Medical aid is the one and only healthcare solution for those who recognise the importance of being a member of such a scheme. Medshield offers seven healthcare plans, each striving to provide cover that is as affordable as possible, offering a range of value-for-money options. The level of cover is proportionate with the membership fee – the more you contribute monthly, the more cover your contribution purchases for you.

Consequently, the higher your contribution, the less likely it will be that you will have substantial co-payments and the more comprehensive your cover will be, a fact which applies to any and every scheme and its plans or options on offer.

Although medical aid schemes are non-profit ventures, they are not immune from financial realities. Virtually without exception, overall medical aid contributions increase each year, usually in January, because a scheme that does not keep up with medical inflation will fold and fail, leaving its members with outstanding claims in dire financial straits.

Before joining a scheme, it is important to check the credentials of those that you are considering as potential choices.

• Is the scheme registered with the Council for Medical Schemes in South Africa?
• Are they financially stable?
• What is their reputation?
• Do they pay claims promptly?
• How do their rates versus benefits compare with those of other schemes?
• Does the scheme focus on their core business and your reason for joining – provision of medical aid to cover relevant expenses and claims – or do they attempt to attract more members by offering all types of “benefits”, which have little or nothing to do with healthcare cover?
• Does the scheme have a comprehensive hospital and provider network/s?

It is also a good idea to speak to your GP and/or pharmacist, who will be able to provide you with answers and information about certain of these important concerns, particularly those related to the scheme’s reputation and their experience of the scheme’s claims payment policies and history.

For your convenience and easy access to information about Medshield’s South African medical aid plans, our website is designed to provide you with all you require to compare our plans, check which best suits your requirements, send us online queries, obtain quotes and speak to our people directly, if you deem this necessary.

It is also the quickest, most convenient way to join a reputable, registered healthcare cover provider that cares about you and your wellbeing.