How Can I Reduce Medical Aid Costs?
December 11, 2021
Here’s an interesting idea. You can lessen your medical aid burden this way. There are two steps: First, reduce the amount of medical scheme cover you have. For instance, you can switch from comprehensive medical aid to a hospital plan from the same medical aid. That will already be cost reduction.
Secondly, take out gap cover insurance to insure any co-payments (also called top up cover or shortfall cover). Fortunately, gap cover is cheap. So by reducing your medical aid plan and adding gap cover, you will have much the same medical cover as before, for a lower total premium.
Does my medical aid offer gap cover?
No. Medical schemes are statutory bodies and therefore must follow strict rules. These regulations appear the Medical Schemes Act and administered by the Council for Medical Schemes. Gap cover, on the other hand, is the speciality of several small short-term insurance companies in South Africa such as Zestlife, Turnberry and Sirago. Their cash payouts are for the shortfall between what your medical aid is prepared to pay and what actually appears on your hospital, specialist and pharmacy bills.
Does gap cover reduce medical costs?
Of course, having short-term insurance cannot prevent you from getting ill or injured and landing in hospital. However, it can decrease your financial load in the event that you need an operation or oncological treatment, for example. Instead of paying the shortfall out of your pocket, your insurer covers the shortfall amount in the form of a cash payment to your bank account.
Is gap cover pricey?
No. It’s a lot cheaper than having an expensive medical aid option. Take out a hospital plan from your medical scheme, then just add gap cover. That will amount to a considerable saving. So you will ease your financial pressures without sacrificing cover.
Complete and submit the form on this page to get your gap cover quote. Act now if you belong to a South African medical aid.
All info was correct at time of publishing