Medical Aid

[B1cyk1ll3r]

I spent majority of my life without a medical aid, with all due respect to my parent's i just don't think they could afford it in my younger years. So growing up i learn't to deal with the pain where most would run to the GP and on the rare occasion a long wait in the public hospital would suffice. 

 

Up until i started working full time, medical aid was compulsory. It served it's purpose when necessary, however i felt it was alot of money being spent on a "what if" Now eight years later i have a new job which does not include medical benefits...

 

I rode bmx through out my teen years and we were the helmetless generation, it's surprises me how my bones stayed in one piece over all those years. My elbows and knee's could provide hour's of stories! 

 

Up too current times, i recently purchased my first MTB and have had a few people say "i hope you have medical aid" every time i log into ROAG site for even't entries, i get a pop up asking for my Medical aid plan and number. 

 

It's playing on my mind and want to know your opinion's.

[Edge540]

Personally I'd hate to be without medical aid even if it's just a hospital plan. If you do need to be hospitalised for any reason the costs are absolutely frightening and I certainly wouldn't want to end up in a state hospital.

[Falco]

Given the condition of our government hospitals, if you are able to afford a medical aid and don't have one you are, with all due respect, plain dumb.

[Lurch the stalker]

My motorcycles and mountain bikes have put me in the hospital on multiple occasions and I would have been utterly screwed if I had to pay for all those expenses myself.

 

My most expense outing...I broke my elbow in 3 places in a MTB fall in 2011 which required two surgeries and a hospital stay with each. If you look at the total cost of both of those, as well as the physiotherapy, the bill was over R100,000 (no that is not a typo).

I never made a single co-payment, or had to claim anything back from my medical aid.

 

For me personally, I have definitely got my money's worth.

[Patchelicious]

I was on a hospital plan when I broke my collarbone, thank goodness.

 

I had to still pay in, about R25 000 (for specialists etc), but the total bill would have been almost R100k.

 

Hubber Fandacious broke his arm badly a few months ago, think his bill came in over R250k... for a broken arm!!

 

So at minimum get a Hospital plan! Just do it.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Given the condition of our government hospitals, if you are able to afford a medical aid and don't have one you are, with all due respect, plain dumb.

even if you go to a government hospital, full coverage is not guaranteed. Physio, follow up appointments, rehab, some private docs operating in the public space (in rare occasions) etc.

 

PM me if you want a bit of help. Also - Gap Cover is a non negotiable. Covers the gap between what specialists charge and what the med aid covers.

 

With MTB & cycling in general, I'd recommend something with an element of day to day cover. Why? Well, generally speaking - if you ONLY have a hospital plan (med aid without Annual Savings) you don't have cover for investigative MRI & CT scans. There are exceptions (Momentum for one) but I wouldn't chance it. Cover only starts when you get booked in. 

 

And please, please - whatever you do - don't go for one of those hospital cash-back plans from the likes of Clientele Life and so on. They pay you a fixed rand amount per day in hospital, based on the condition you are admitted for. Looks good on the cover, cos they say "Up to R 5,000 per day" or whatever. But what they don't tell you is that every day the amount goes down, and after day 4 you're only getting about R 1,000 to R 2,000 per day - which will nowhere near cover the cost of hospitalisation. That's barely enough to cover the ward costs, let alone any blood, theatre time, bandages etc....

Edited July 14, 2015 by Renaissance Man

[B1cyk1ll3r]

I understand the necessity... my previous employer covered half of the payment. Now, there's no way i could afford it... or could i? what am i in for? How does one separate the shark's from the genuine provider's? 

 

My current employer provides an "accident's only" 24 hour medical assistance. Not entirely sure what it cover's though... 

[Patchelicious]

Chat to Renaissance Man am sure he could help.... last tip from me, get gap cover if cash is a bit tight, will bite you in the bum if you dont.

[DJ84]

Definitely worth having Med Aid.

Healthy guy and my wife all the way through.

Still barely ever go to a doctor, but over the last 3 years my wife and myslef have had a couple hospital trips.

 

I have paid roughly R 600k to my med aid over the years.

My wifes opps and physio and and and cost close on R 1m and they covered 80% so already recovered there alone.

 

You just dont know when something can happen,

the same for any type of insurance.

[Sharkie 2]

I understand the necessity... my previous employer covered half of the payment. Now, there's no way i could afford it... or could i? what am i in for? How does one separate the shark's from the genuine provider's? 

 

My current employer provides an "accident's only" 24 hour medical assistance. Not entirely sure what it cover's though... 

Then for what reason did you move if the package is poorer?

 

I have seen some plans advertised for R350 a month....no idea if they actually cover anything

[Sharkie 2]

Definitely worth having Med Aid.

Healthy guy and my wife all the way through.

Still barely ever go to a doctor, but over the last 3 years my wife and myslef have had a couple hospital trips.

 

I have paid roughly R 600k to my med aid over the years.

My wifes opps and physio and and and cost close on R 1m and they covered 80% so already recovered there alone.

 

You just dont know when something can happen,

the same for any type of insurance.

Must agree, how many of the SA citizens have got the money required to pay out of their pockets for medical aid or insurance covered items like stolen cars etc.

[Paul Ruinaard]

I am not sure i understand the question. I am rather aghast that anyone would be naive enough to put their life (and possibly their families) at risk like this.

 

You really need to think a little bit about what you are asking and prioritise where you are spending money on and how much.

 

Like stop spending money on MTB's etc and start buying basic necessities like health cover mate.

 

Basically the public hospital and health infrastructure have collapsed in at least two provinces and is not functional to say the least in many others. KZN where you are is a shining light compared to others. Just look at the press lately and you will get the idea clearly.

 

Unless you have a complete death wish I suggest you need to get some serious advice mate.

 

BTW Medical cover and major medical and hospital plans etc are not only for when you fall off your MTB....

[Sharkie 2]

I am not sure i understand the question. I am rather aghast that anyone would be naive enough to put their life (and possibly their families) at risk like this.

 

You really need to think a little bit about what you are asking and prioritise where you are spending money on and how much.

 

Like stop spending money on MTB's etc and start buying basic necessities like health cover mate.

 

Basically the public hospital and health infrastructure have collapsed in at least two provinces and is not functional to say the least in many others. KZN where you are is a shining light compared to others. Just look at the press lately and you will get the idea clearly.

 

Unless you have a complete death wish I suggest you need to get some serious advice mate.

 

BTW Medical cover and major medical and hospital plans etc are not only for when you fall off your MTB....

I would also add to this the following, are you providing for your retirement days in some form?

[Cippo]

Get a medical aid that has a savings plan. If you don't use it they can pay you out when you leave them. Be sure to check that your plan does'nt tie you into using a specific hospital.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I understand the necessity... my previous employer covered half of the payment. Now, there's no way i could afford it... or could i? what am i in for? How does one separate the shark's from the genuine provider's? 

 

My current employer provides an "accident's only" 24 hour medical assistance. Not entirely sure what it cover's though... 

R 1,700 p/m for med aid w day to day coverage (Medical savings of ~ R 5k per year for doc visits, x rays etc) or R 1,200 p/m for basic hospital coverage that only kicks in when you're admitted. 

 

R 150-R 300 p/m for Gap Cover depending on which option you go for and how much coverage you get. 

 

I'm assuming you're not going to get a Late Joiner Penalty, which (if you're over 35) could compound matters. 

 

That's for Discovery. PM me your mail address and we can discuss this more if you want... 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Then for what reason did you move if the package is poorer?

 

I have seen some plans advertised for R350 a month....no idea if they actually cover anything

Don't touch them with a barge pole. Those are Hospital Plans that pay out a fixed amount per day spent in hospital. Okay if that's all you can afford, but they fall woefully short of providing any sort of meaningful coverage. 

 

There are Hospital Plans provided by the med aid companies that are fully fledged medical aids, just without the out-of-hospital coverage, and then there are the "hospital plans" that are flogged to all and sundry as a cheap replacement or substitute for med aid. These latter ones are normally sold with the condition "Product X is Not a Medical Aid"

Edited July 14, 2015 by Renaissance Man