Poor medical aid cover for pro SA cyclists?

[Grapkas]

Medical aid is VERY important to me! I don't mind paying R850.00 per month! If i fall and crack my skull open i want to lie in a nice bed in Pretoria East and look at a tv while i'm at it!

[Marius]

Read it again, slowly - cuz once the mofo without Medical aid gets into a accident - the victoms Mom / dad / brother or sister has to fork out money for the hospital bills, only thing is they also don't have money, so then they write some soppy storie and we end up paying money into there accounts to cover the costs.

[pastapouch]

I remember a story about that. Can't remember that there were any prices /raffle attached to that.

[slowpoke]

Marius, i do agree with you to a large extent, but we do have to understand that the costs of private medical aids can be prohibitive and unfortunately the "younger generation" tend not to realise how unpredictable life can be. the absolute minimum amount of cover any person should have is a hospital plan, and the minimum any sports person should have is that PLUS applicable accident cover.

 

(and then you get ones like me... one of the best med aids, plus accident cover to pay any shortfall!!!)

[Canaris]

I still feel that in a trade or occupation like cycling or sport, FULL medical cover should be a COMPOLSORY component of the pay package or service benefits. The employer insists that you are placed in a high occupational risk situation, and therefore should be held LEGALLY accountable for any damages incurred under their contract.

 

 

 

I mean if you hire a gardner, and let him use electric power tools (saw, lawn mower) and he injures himself then under OHS you are responsible.

[slowpoke]

Kona, i agree with you about that. however, until that happens we as individuals need to fend for ourselves.

[FanieFiets]

 

Maybe he never took a "premier" type of Medical aid package thinking that the team has its own Doctors that will be able to help with basic stuff and never thought he would be in a situation like this?? I dont think CSA can implement such a med aid system it is up to you as a person/rider to cover yourself and for your own well being.

 

 

 

Think you're on to something here Colonel

 

As an aside I was looking at taking out life and disability cover with one of the big life assurers and it turns out because I ride more than 3 hours a week I am classified as a professional athlete and as such had a serious premium loading. Something we may not take into account and could be an issue at claim time if it is a cycling related accident that caused the death/disability

 

Wolf - ek weet nie met wie jy gepraat het nie, maar daai persoon se kop is verseker baie diep in sy gat opgedruk! Mens moet net weet hoe om met die onderskrywers te werk. Laat weet as jy hulp nodig het, moet net nie vir one-life bel nie, jy sal oor paar jy dan jou polse WIL sny.

 

Slowpoke - Stem 100% saam. Belangrikste in finansiele beblanning is medies, dan ongeskiktheid, dan lewensdekking en dan spaar. Veral jonger mense wil die andersom doen. Wat help dit as jy al R 100 K gespaar het maar kanker kry of in 'n motorongeluk is. Ek is jammer, maar ek kan nie glo dat 'n premie van R 500-00 buite bereik is nie. Indien jy minder as R 7500-00 verdien het meeste mediese fondse 'n substidizde plan wat gewoonlik so R400 of bietjie minder kos.

 

[Groot Lem]

I thought a PRO team will provide medical aid as part of the package, it will be so easy to put the riders on the same med aid package as the corporate that sponsor them. So if TBW has 10000 employees, of which 20 are pro riders, then I cant see it to be a problem.

Or Rupert on the same package as any other employee at Harmony, so he can lie in a minehospital.

[slowpoke]

Groot Lem, now i have someone i can agree 100% with on this issue, but you try to convince the "powers that be" in big corporates to consider this

[Groot Lem]

I think Latrinus and CSA are busy looking at insurance for riders next year.

[Fun rider]

The differance is that the corporates do not offer us employment. We go and beg them to sponsor us. They agree to an amount or product. we never discusse issues like pension and medical aid with them.

[FanieFiets]

ja, wel, ek kry ook nie medies en pensioen by my werk nie...........Ek moet dit self betaal en organise. Daar is geen voordeel vir 'n self op ' n mediese fonds op te wees of deur jou mpy nie. Die tax word bietjie anders benader maar kom op die einde op dieselfde uit. So hulle betaal jou minder en jy kry medies of hulle betaal jou meer en jy moet self die mediese fonds kies. Ek verstaan nie wat die groot issue is nie. 

[Canaris]

THe issue is very simple the "Pro" cyclists occupation is cycling. There is a moral obligation on both the cyclist and the "employer" ie team owner to ensure that the cyclist is covered against occupational risk. ie injuries incurred during races and in preparation for races. The cyclist is contracted to perform. The employer should be obliged to provide cover for risks incurred as a result of these services.

 

 

 

obviously, for amature teams this will be diferent, but for teams which employ full time cyclists the team should be held responsible. After all it is in the team "employers" best interest that their cyclist is getting the best possible treatment.

 

 

 

For a team like Barlowworld not to cover medical costs would be a total disgrace. How can you in your right mind expect someone to take the risks common in the TdF without complete medical cover?

 

 

[stringbean]

Sorry to say that in this country if you don't have medical aid you are absolutely stupid.I would put medical aid more important than having life insurance or a RA.A simple fall from your bike with broken leg etc can easily run up a medical bill of over 250K.

[ChrisH]

I just know I am going to get flamed for this, but I don't understand some of these arguments.

 

I choose to be a salaried employee of a company.

I choose whether I want to pay for full medical aid, hospital cover or nothing at all. If my salary is too low to cover my living expenses I can choose to follow a different career that will pay me better or to change my living standards to match my salary. I accept the terms of my emloyment upfront and I have the choice not to.

 

These are my choices alone. I can literally live or die by the choices I make. I don't expect the company I work for to look after me if it all crashes and burns as a result of any bad decisions or choices I may have made.

 

Professional cyclists are no different. Every morning they wake up and reaffirm their choice of career and standard of living. 

 

So, how is any of this Barlowworlds fault?

[FanieFiets]

BAIE DANKIE, my punt presies.