“When can I change my medical aid plan?” is one of the questions which we are frequently asked. No doubt other medical schemes get this query as often as we do because, as the saying goes: “Change is the only constant”. People constantly want to have a variety of options between which they are free and welcome to choose.
There is not one single cut-and-dried answer to the “when” question, but there are two possibilities and conditions under which one may change plans, unless you decide to move from one medical scheme to another. This is an entirely different scenario, involving moving from Medical Scheme A to a completely different company – Medical Scheme B. Such a change can be done at any time. Unless a member is unhappy with their scheme, or they find a more affordable, smarter scheme, they are unlikely to move to another medical insurance company. Generally, medical aid members prefer to migrate to another plan within the same scheme when they see or feel the need to make a change.
Schemes and Plans
At KeyHealth, we do not believe that any question is superfluous. Although it may seem obvious to most people, there are others who confuse “scheme” and “plan”, which are entirely different in meaning as it pertains to medical aids. The company or brand that operates and manages a specific medical aid is referred to as the scheme. The plans are the options that feature specified benefits, exclusions, and terms and conditions which the scheme offers. Membership contributions for each plan vary according to the benefits included in the plan or option – the more comprehensive and inclusive the plan, and the more cover it provides, the higher the plan’s monthly membership contributions will be.
