Qualities that Make a Good Medical Aid Scheme
Membership of a medical aid scheme has become vital for most South African’s today. Given the overburdened and inadequately funded state healthcare system, the private sector facilities offer the only practical choice for many. However, without the financial support provided by these schemes, private healthcare too would remain beyond the reach of the nation’s average citizen.
Membership of group schemes offered through employers in exchange for captive membership can definitely help to reduce basic premiums, while subsidies from the employer result in greater affordability for many of those in formal employment. For those who are self-employed, however, there is a need for extra care when choosing an open medical aid scheme. A good company will offer benefits that are relevant and will take pains to explain any applicable terms and conditions in clearly understandable terms. Its primary focus will be on providing the maximum core benefits to members, rather than on irrelevancies such as incentive schemes and discounted entertainments which, incidentally, all add cost that must somehow be defrayed.
It is only natural that you will want a product with premiums that fall within the reach of your monthly disposable income, and it is in this endeavour that you may be required to make compromises in exchange for affordability. While this may seem like a logical enough trade-off, a good medical aid scheme should be able to find a more equable means by which to maintain premiums that are competitive.
Your health and that of your spouse and your children are precious and, although quality private healthcare may have become expensive, obtaining adequate, comprehensive healthcare cover does not have to be beyond the reach of your budget. For that matter, there is no reason why a company with the right strategy should not be able to provide cover that is both extensive and less costly than many of those in operation today.
KeyHealth is one such company. We offer easy-to-understand products with clearly defined benefits and a nationwide, preferred service provider network that, together, makes us South Africa’s, value-for-money medical aid scheme.