Medical care in South Africa can become expensive, especially with large families. Without medical cover, your finances can plummet if you or one of your loved ones faces hospitalisation. But how do you decide if medical aid or a hospital plan is right for you?
It’s simple really. You only need to consider your family’s medical history. Then, evaluate what both cover options have to offer. Once you’ve made your decision, you can find a scheme that offers a suitable package to meet your healthcare needs.
Hospital Plan versus Medical Aid
There are many different schemes to choose from, and, as a result, various cover options are available. This means that no one cover package is exactly the same. However, a few typical differences between medical aid and a hospital plan exist. The first usually offers cover for in-hospital care, as well as other outside healthcare treatments. The hospital plan is dedicated to emergency treatments hospital procedures, and hospitalisation, but not out-of-hospital care. That being said, whichever cover you choose is better than no cover at all. And you always receive Prescribed Minimum Benefits with any package that you select.
Discuss it with Your Dependants
Dependants are those who will be connected to your plan, and who can also make use of the benefits offered in the package. These typically include your children, parents or spouse, depending on who you register as dependants at the scheme.
Get the input of everyone you want to protect with the health cover solution. This way you won’t take out a package that excludes procedures and treatments vital to your beneficiaries. Ask each dependant about their health and what they want to gain from getting health coverage. Below are a few questions to help you get started:
- Are you generally healthy or do you fall ill easily?
- Do you require medicine on a daily basis?
- Are there any specific treatments you need?
- When last have you needed to visit a doctor?
- Can you afford to pay for your day-to-day expenses without help?
- What is your budget for medical insurance?
You can have a chat with every individual separately or have a group gathering to find out all the details. Write down their answers to avoid forgetting about crucial points later on. This should help you select the right plan. Shortlist the must-have points and keep the list for reference when you browse through cover options.
Consider Your Budget
Some people might choose a full medical aid over a hospital plan, as they’re more likely to use the benefits thereof. These could include GP visits, pharmaceuticals or even dentistry. Others select hospital plans to ensure that they are covered in the case of an emergency and find less use in full medical cover as they are otherwise healthy.
There are individuals who go through life without having to be hospitalised for serious illnesses, procedures or conditions. Still, the risk of hospitalisation is present. Later in life, this risk becomes more prominent and medical cover may be a more necessary option.
Being a young single person with no dependants and a healthy lifestyle does make the more affordable hospital plan option more enticing. However, for a family person with dependants, it might be more suitable to opt for full cover, if financially possible.
It is important to select a cover option that you can afford. Calculate past and present medical expenses to determine how much you truly spend on healthcare. But keep in mind the medicine or healthcare treatments you’ve put on hold due to lack of access to those treatments, which is often caused by a lack of funds.
Below is a list of cover options available at KeyHealth, all offering varying degrees of coverage. These options should give you an idea of what type of coverage can be expected depending on your unique needs and budget requirements:
Final Thought: Is a Hospital Plan Right for You?
Everyone should have a healthcare plan in place. That’s why we offer various package options.
In the end, it’s up to you to decide which is right for you and your loved ones. Do your research on the various options available. Feel free to ask for advice from one of our helpful medical representatives by giving us a call. Become a member now and start reaping the benefits sooner rather than later.