Covid-19 – does medical aid cover it?

December 18, 2021

Coronavirus is an international scare. The chances of you or a family getting infected by the virus, or suffering from resultant Covid-19, are slim.

But what if you WERE infected and were in quarantine for weeks? And what if you had to be in hospital for weeks suffering from the illness?

Yes, your medical aid would cover the costs – to a point.

The trouble is that most medical plans cover ANY condition only partially.

For example, let’s say your particular medical plan, such as Discovery Coasta Core, offers 100% cover.

Sounds good, doesn’t it?

 

But the 100% refers to one hundred percent of what Discovery DECIDES the cover should be.

If the medical scheme you have decides to pay R500 a day in hospital and R1000 for each specialist consultation, and the actual bill is R1500 per day and R3000 per consultation, then you will have to pay the shortfall.

This is what is known as a co-payment.

But do medical aids cover coronavirus?

It is early days in the history of this disease. Thus medical aids do no mention coronavirus contagion in particular yet.

But a hospital stay is a hospital stay, and a specialist visit is a specialist visit.

In that sense you ARE covered by medical aid for coronavirus, to the extent that your medical plan allows (e.g. 100%, 200%, 300% etc. – whatever your medical aid plan offers).

However, if you and your family land in hospital for weeks – for any reason, not just coronavirus infection – then you will most likely face a hefty co-payment bill.

So the question is not whether medical covers coronavirus. Basically it does. But will you be in a position to make co-payments amounting to tens of thousands of rands?

If you are not sure that you will have up to R500 000 available to pay medical shortfall, you should get gap cover.

This is affordable short-term insurance to make sure that coronavirus does not bankrupt you.

That is because gap insurance pays the difference between what a medical aid will pay and what the actual hospital and specialist bills reflect.

Act now! Complete and submit the form on this page to start of the process of signing up for medical aid gap cover

 

All info was correct at time of publishing