Medical Top Up Cover Explained
December 8, 2021
Compare medical aid schemes in South Africa, and you’ll realise that it’s essential to have the extra in-hospital cover like medical top up cover.
You just can’t do without it.
This insurance covers medical aid members for a variety of different risks.
For example, an option from Turnberry boosts in-hospital rate coverage to 400%.
And that’s regardless of whether you belong to, say, Sizwe medical aid or GEMS medical aid.
ONLY Medical aid members can apply for a gap cover quote. Just complete and send in the form on this page
What Medical Aid Scheme Qualifies?
As long as you are a current member of a Medical Aid Scheme in South Africa, you qualify for Medical top up cover – it’s a must for medical aid members who have capped in-hospital benefits.
If you thought your medical aid covered all in-hospital expenses, then you are mistaken. That’s why you need additional insurance for unforeseen hospital and specialist fees.
Medical Aid Schemes will Only Cover a percentage of Specialists and Hospital Rates
Remember, whether you’re with Bonitas or Medshield medical aid, for example, these schemes have two separate benefits. One covers your smaller day-to-day expenses like vaccinations and GP visits.
The other covers in-hospital costs. And these can amount at an alarming rate to substantial costs. While many people can cover their day-to-day medical costs, how many of us have enough cash to carry into a hospital with us in an emergency? Not many!
It’s Important to Do a Side by Side Comparison of What Medical Aid Schemes Offer
A lot of medical schemes don’t offer unlimited in-hospital benefits – just make a medical aid comparison so see what we mean. So there’s a cap on the amount of cover you get while in a hospital.
That can be problematic if you have to stay in a little longer or need a private hospital. Another reason why you need gap insurance.
In fact, this type of cover has become a necessity. How many of us can afford the shortfalls between what medical aid will pay and what the service providers charge?
Think about ward fees, theatre fees, hospital consumables, scans, counselling, extra days in the hospital – the list goes on, and it adds up. Quickly.
Remember: this type of insurance doesn’t act like a medical aid policy. It won’t pay that shortfall over to the healthcare providers. Instead, you will get the payout directly for you to settle your in-hospital bills.
Top Up Your Medical Aid Plan with Medical Top Up Cover
If you’re unsure whether you need medical top up cover, check your in-hospital benefits on your medical aid policy. Is it capped? It’s time to do yourself a favour and get some medical top up cover for peace of mind and safety of finances.
There is a range of medical top up cover products on the market to supplement your current medical aid policy. Usually gap cover will cover the whole family. You all need to be on the same medical aid, though.
ONLY Medical aid members can apply for a medical gap cover quote. Just complete and send in the form on this page
All info was correct at time of publishing