Unlock the Secrets to Getting a Hospital Plan in South Africa 2024

When Getting Hospital Plan Quotes Understand the Differences

Hospital plans are also different from hospital cash back plans. Many people mistakenly think they are one and the same. Before you make any decisions, understand hospital plans carefully so you have a clear idea of whether you can benefit or not.

There are different hospital plans, and they don’t cover visits to the doctor. For people planning on having a baby and for people with a chronic illness, this can pose a problem for them.

It is for this reason that hospital plans are essentially suited to fairly healthy people. Hospital plan quotes will suit people whose children are older and beyond primary school age.

Hospital plans have to however cover certain medications. The plans offered by registered medical aids cover about 26 prescribed chronic conditions.

Each hospital plan has their own medications they can cover but essentially they are the ones most commonly used.

The hospital plans also come with a daily dividend which is paid into the insured’s account. Look at them carefully because there are pros and cons with each hospital plan.

Why South Africans Need Hospital Plans

The South African government has been talking about a health care system for South Africans for many years. The idea behind the programme is to transform national health care delivery systems and develop comprehensive health care practices.

To get your hospital plan quotes please complete and send the form on this page

However the government is too busy trying to contain the escalating crime- and vandalism issues to give attention to health care. Every South African therefore needs to look beyond the government and take responsibility for their own health.

They need to invest in health care which they can afford. This form of medical insurance can at least keep you out of having to go to a government hospital and perhaps someone mistakenly signing your death certificate while you are there.

Difference Between Hospital Plans and Health Insurance

The difference between a hospital plan and health insurance is that a hospital plan only pays for your stay in hospital. If you have a raging fever, your hospital plan won’t include a trip to the doctor and medications.

To get your hospital plan quotes please complete and send the form on this page

You have to remember too that a hospital plan from a medical scheme differs significantly from other hospital insurance. The reason for this is that medical schemes are required by law to provide a certain proportion of Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs).

Health insurance, especially the more comprehensive ones, will cover ALL your medical needs, from sport injuries to road accidents to serious illnesses.
A comprehensive medical aid includes hospital plans as well as full cover plans.

Most times hospital accounts are settled in full. With pre-existing medical conditions you may have a waiting period for up to 12 months.

Most hospital plans cover hospitalisation resulting from accidents.

Depending on the hospital plan you have, cover for hospitalisation due to illness will start after between 6 to 12 months of joining. When you are hospitalised, benefits with most hospital plans start on day 3.

Hospital plans from a medical aid require you to manage your day-to-day medical expenses yourself. This is great because you don’t have to contend with the sometimes bad administration you get with hospitals handling their own admin.

Remember too that hospital plans offered by medical schemes are much better than those dicey products from insurance companies and banks.

Why You Should Get Hospital plan quotes from a Medical Scheme

Get a hospital plan from a trusted medical scheme. These fantastic hospital plans allow many low and middle-income people to have some form of health care.

Hospital plans from a reputable medical scheme are your best bet because the medical scheme is regulated by the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS). This means they conforms to a code of ethics.

A good plan from a medical scheme will cover unlimited procedures in hospital, paying standard medical tariffs. There are many credible medical schemes in South Africa – Fedhealth, Momentum, Medshield, Bonitas, Discovery and others.

There are Many Benefits Of Getting a Hospital plan From a Medical Scheme –

• these medical schemes have plenty of  experience in the healthcare sector
• they have excellent global credit ratings
• they will settle your hospital bills or pay your cash benefit on time
• these medical aids companies also subscribe to a  Chronic Disease List which specifies conditions that qualify for this particular benefit
• smaller unknown insurers often battle to make pay-puts and in such a competitive market, they’re at risk of folding.
• hospital plans from the leading medical schemes come with value-added benefits such as maternity benefits

Where Do I Get the Best Hospital Plan Quotes in SA?

A hospital plan from one medical scheme may suit somebody else, but it mat not suit you. So the best way to get a hospital plan that suits you is to make use of a hospital plan comparison site.

Choose a hospital plan from one of South Africa’s leading and well-known medical schemes. Choose the plan that comes closest to meeting your specific needs. Take a look at the benefits and features that each plan offers. Look and see if the monthly premium is something you can diligently stick with month after month.

South Africa has got many excellent medical schemes. Its a case of researching them, getting advice from those who already have these plans and settling on the one that will benefit you the most.

Top Ten Places to Get Hospital Plan Quotes

When you start comparing medical schemes with hospital plans, look carefully at the premiums as well as the benefits you get.

It is advised not to look at those plans registered under the Short-Term Insurance Act. They offer way less benefits than reliable medical aid hospital plans. They aren’t obligated to pay the minimum requirements as stipulated under the Medical Schemes Act either.

Hospital Plan Quotes From South Africa’s leading Medical Aid Schemes –

• Bonitas Hospital Plan
• Genesis Hospital Plan
• Fedhealth Hospital Plan
• Discovery Hospital Plan
• Bestmed Hospital Plan
• Selfmed Hospital Plan
• Momentum Health Hospital Plan
• Resolution Health Hospital Plan
• Liberty Hospital Plan
• Medihelp Hospital Plan

The above plans all cover at least 100% of the scheme rates. The medical aid provide their members with network options. This is useful because while it gives members a limited choice of hospitals and doctors to use, the members aren’t going to be sitting with excesses.

That is after all the benefit of a hospital plan and making use of their excellent network service providers.

You don’t  have to fork out on treatments your medical aid isn’t able to cover because of the exorbitant prices some specialists charge.

Switching From a Medical Aid to a Hospital Plan

If you’ve been on a medical aid, you’ll know that sometimes your salary doesn’t keep up with the increase in medical aid premiums. There are thousands of South Africans who make the decision to switch from a medical aid to a hospital plan.

It’s not an easy decision because you’re giving up a lot when you make the switch. You’re giving up comprehensive cover for much less.

To get a free hospital plan quote, please complete and send the form on this page

Both a medical aid and a hospital plan fall under the authority of the Medical Schemes Council, but the hospital plan offers significantly less cover than a medical aid. Having said that, these days there are some more extravagant hospital plans which offer far more than the standard medical aid does.

It is far better having some form of medical cover in a hospital plan than giving up your medical aid and not having any kind of cover. A stay in a government hospital will convince you to rather settle on a hospital plan.

When you make the switch, remember there’s a right time to do it. You can’t just make the decision in the middle of the year. The medical aid companies insist that you wait out the year and make the swap at the end of the year.

Be very careful in switching and make sure that you are covered throughout the switch period. This is to ensure that you don’t have to go through all the waiting periods again because of interrupted cover. Ensure continuity of cover at all costs.

Hospital plan Quotes are Important But What About Gap Insurance

Gap cover is absolutely essential to medical aid members. The reason for gap cover is that your medical aid isn’t in a position to pay for those huge medical bills your specialist gives you.

Gap cover takes care of the shortfall that exists when your doctor charges up to 400% of NHRPL rates. Nobody has control over what these specialists charge. Your medical aid simply can’t pay for these huge bills, so gap cover takes care of the difference between what the medical aid is willing to pay and what some healthcare professionals charge.

Without gap cover, you will have to foot the bill. In most instances, this can run into thousands of Rands if its cardiac surgery for instance. Do research and you will find that most of the gap cover providers like Sanlam, Liberty and Stratum for instance charge in the region of R150 a month for gap cover.

To get your hospital plan quote please complete and send the form on this page

This is a small amount to pay, because without it you could be financially crippled when you get a bill of R20 000 or more. This is the shortfall amount that your medical aid wouldn’t cover. Medical scheme benefits are limited to their Medical Scheme Tariffs (MST).

With medical practitioners charging what they like, these charges create a shortfall between the MST and the medical practitioner’s cost. The charges of many procedures can add up to sizeable payment, and without gap cover, you’re the one who has to find the money to meet the gaps.

Hospital plan Quotes In Conclusion

When you start researching medical schemes and hospital plan quotes, make sure to get enough quotes. This is to ensure you get the plan that offers the best benefits and which are affordable.

This is what you call value for money. You certainly don’t want to plunge in and take the cheapest hospital plan. Sometimes this leaves you in a position similar to those without a plan.

South Africa with its excellent medical schemes, offers excellent value health care plans which are backed by established companies. Between these medical schemes, you can choose from a host of hospital plans that can ease your financial burden during difficult times.

These plans have your health needs covered. Known also as entry level medical aid plans, its the sheer affordability of hospital plans that have made them a popular choice for cash-strapped South Africans. They love the exceptional medical cover they can enjoy and the low premium charges.

Don’t give up your medical aid and sit with nothing – not in a country like South Africa. No medical cover can be likened to committing suicide. Take steps now to get yourself sorted, get hospital plan quotes now.

Yes, in most instances there is a difference between medical aid schemes and hospital plans. But having a hospital plan is also very different to not having one. Glean as much information as you can about hospital plan quotes – you’ll quickly discover their worth. They’re your passport to decent health care.

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