Medical Aid

[AmithS]

Hi Guys & Gals,

Just a quick 1 before my real question, if my memory serves me right didnt we have a general section where we could ask general questions? I know this is a business forum but we have some highly intellegent people with real good advise here

My question is about medical aid. My wife and i are planning a child. I have always been on medical aid until the last 14 months due to financial difficulty as i started my own business.

I hear there are some medical aids that have waiting periods of 12 months for pregnancy and child births and some 3 months ?

Any one with any advise ?

Thanks guys

[Martinco]

I suggest you go to e.g. http://www.libmed.co.za/ and check out their rules. I am sure I saw it somewhere but as this benefit would not apply to me anymore, I did not pay any notice to this.

[Martinco]

Go to : http://www.libmed.co.za/documents/pr...er%20Guide.pdf and check page 46 onwards, however I cannot find any reference to pregnancy.

[Dave A]

if my memory serves me right didnt we have a general section where we could ask general questions?

No, your memory isn't letting you down. I did some relabeling for SEO purposes about a year ago

Which reminds me - I've got two forums to relabel that I've been meaning to get to for a little while now.

And no, I can't help with the medical aid question. My medical aid is Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Diners Club, and they don't care how or when you claim as long as you pay the instalments

[AmithS]

Hey Dave,

How has that been working for you?

I was considering putting aside the medical aid contribution into a savings account or something and using it from there when needed?

[Dave A]

At this stage I am way ahead of the game. But I believe the really big bills tend to come in our twilight years...

There are other advantages apart from the "cost comparison" angle:

• My dentist (who has probably been the biggest beneficiary so far from the family medical expenses over the years) gives me a COD discount.
• I never have a problem waiting for medical aid approval to get anyone admitted to a hospital. Just flash plastic, they swipe, you're in.

I guess you can run out of money this way. But by my understanding you can also run out of medical aid...

If you can be disciplined and put the money away - even invest it, I suspect there's a better than even chance you'll end up well ahead of the game.

[tec0]

Firstly some medical aids do allow leniency towards pregnancy. But you will need to do your homework as most medical aids don’t care for your health at all. I will rule out dis*overy h*alth, they are the worst medical aid you can have. I had a friend he had his red-ticked and a clean bill of health to go with it.

One morning he woke up and had to go to hospital because he could not walk, it turns out he had a fracture some-ware in the pelvic-aria. Well dis*overy m*dical aid phoned him and told him that he is no longer with them as a client because he did not state on the questionnaire that he had the fracture.

Well he was pinned for a R45000 “more or less” operation excluding meals. His wife had to make a personal loan from her boss and the family took one hell of a nock. Well the operation was done and the problem fixed still to this day one cannot help but wonder how dis*overy h*alth works.

We don’t have x-ray vision how the hell can we see into the pelvic-aria and it is worth noting that not even medical personal picked up on it when he went for his red-ticket...

So I would stay well clear of dis*overy m*dical aid. They are not good people!

That being said my medical is good, I don’t enjoy any benefits at the dentist but when I ended up in hospital everything was paid for in full. My medical policy state that they will cover me for much more than a few days, so it’s worth spending that little extra. Also never abuse your medical aid because when you need it, it will not be there for you.

Give them a call what do you have to lose? Contact-Us

I don’t know if they will help with the pregnancy or not but it is really not a bad medical aid.

[IanF]

At this stage I am way ahead of the game. But I believe the really big bills tend to come in our twilight years...

There are other advantages apart from the "cost comparison" angle:

• My dentist (who has probably been the biggest beneficiary so far from the family medical expenses over the years) gives me a COD discount.
• I never have a problem waiting for medical aid approval to get anyone admitted to a hospital. Just flash plastic, they swipe, you're in.

I guess you can run out of money this way. But by my understanding you can also run out of medical aid...

If you can be disciplined and put the money away - even invest it, I suspect there's a better than even chance you'll end up well ahead of the game.

Dave
I have gone halfway and just have a hospital plan. My biggest fear is landing up in intensive care. I know people where the costs would bankrupt me if any of us went to hospital. Here in Johannesburg you have to pay most doctors/dentists when you visit them. So no COD discounts. Do you have any hospital insurance.

[AmithS]

Hi Tec0, thanks for the advise.

What medical aid are you on?

[tec0]

I have included the this LINK for you. I am with them for a while now and they are not perfect but they do take care of you when it matters.

You can also click on the "Contact-Us" on the above post, it will take you to the same information page.

hope it helps.

[Dave A]

Do you have any hospital insurance.

I used to until the day after I needed it.

Kidney stone.
In agony.
Waiting for authorisation from medical insurance.
Waved plastic.
Oh man - cyclomorphine is good stuff

After a Dornier procedure I was discharged the next day. The bill came to the equivalent of about 20 months instalments for the hospital insurance.

I paid the bill and cancelled the insurance.

[Martinco]

I will rule out d*s*ov*ry h*alth, they are the worst medical aid you can have.

I support 110% !!!! I used to be with them but as you say, the worst that I know of and by no means the cheapest. Their admin is atrocious and the member always end up with the sh*t end of the stick.
I even went so far as to write to the CEO twice, guess what...........not even the courtesy of a reply. I then voted with my feet. Just follow their trail back a few years an see what they have "achieved' within just a short time. ( With who's money ? ) And this after just a few years ago, they had to "negotiate" with the Medical Control Board because they did not have enough reserves. ( Not me saying so.....I heard this on the radio. )

Dave's plan can work very well but then you have to start early in your life and not dip into these funds for all sorts or be as rich as him !

[tec0]

My experience was an interesting one. See I was slowly kicking the bucket due to affixation no joke “a horrible experience in its own right” and I started to black-out while the hospital tried to get me to sign my life away.

I cannot remember much but my medical aid approved my operation in no time flat! Seriously my problem was with all those damn papers you have to fill in before they help you!!!!

I am bloody dyslexic and dying! But noooo!!! Those damn papers must be filled in before anything can happen!!! Not even a magic plastic card can bypass that...

Still it is true if you can afford to go to a private hospital without a medical aid then that is your best bet. But if you can’t then get a medical aid... St@te hospit@ls are horrible death-traps!!!


My Hospital Plan

[Martinco]

St@te hospit@ls are horrible death-traps!!!

You go in the front door and exit via the back with different clothes. Cotton swapped for wood.

[tec0]

It is for that reason and only that reason why I have a medical aid! I don’t care about a dental plan or any of that. All I want for my money is a proper hospital with proper care. Any other benefit my medical may have is secondary.

For example: I pay for my own doctor visits, my own glasses and so on. I even pay for my own medicine. My medical aid is only to be used when I am down and out! See some people think a medical aid can pay for this and that but... I rather recommend only use your medical when you are in real trouble.