What is Hospital Plan?
A hospital plan covers you for any medical procedures that are performed in a private hospital, such as if you’re in an accident and need an emergency operation.
If you need cover for medical attention given outside of a hospital, like seeing your GP, visiting the dentist, or getting new glasses at the optometrist, a hospital plan would not cover these costs – however, a medical aid plan would.
Hospital Plan Prices In South Africa
You can only select the best hospital cover, South Africa, for 2021 by looking at them and what they cover.
Insight into such information will help you settle on a program suited to your budget and healthcare needs. Here are the top medical aid schemes in South Africa and the option under which they offer their hospital plans:
1. Discovery Health
This medical aid scheme offers its hospital plan under Coastal Care, Classic Delta, Classic Core, Essential Core, Essential Delta, and Keycare Core Network Option. Is Discovery KeyCare core a hospital plan? This is a frequently asked question.
As mentioned above, it is, and it ranks among the most suitable plans for individuals with limited coverage and chronic coverage for particular illnesses.
Does Discovery have a hospital plan only? Not quite. It also offers 23 other different plan options. Below is a cost profile of the expenses incurred in 2021 for individuals using several of Discovery Health’s benefit options:
The Essential Smart option One adult:
R 1 400 Two adults and two children: R 5 600
The Essential Delta Core Option
One adult: R 1 681 Two adults and two children: R 4 296 2.
Bonitas
It does have several programs that cover emergency and planned procedures. You also receive extra benefits for preventative care and wellness. Below is a look at some of these plans and their starting value as of 2021:
Hospital Standard: Starts from R 2 434.
BonEssential: Starts from R 1 962
BonEssential Select:
Starts from R 1 675
Genesis
Genesis will cover you during planned and emergency admissions. In addition, you can choose between two of its benefit options, namely Private and Private Choice. They both come with the extra benefit of primary dentistry. Here is a look at the monthly contributions you would make as of 2021 for both benefits options:
Private
One adult: R 1 850 Two
adults: R 3 700
Two adults and one child: R 4 230
Two adults and two kids: R 4 760
Two adults and three kids: R 5 290
Private Choice
One adult: R 1 340
Two adults: R 2 680
Two adults and one child: R 3 120
Two adults and two kids: R 3 560
Two adults and three kids: R 4 000 .
Which are the best hospital plans in South Africa?
The Top Medical Aid Hospital Plans In South Africa
Discovery Health. Classic Core, Coastal Core, Essential Core, Classic Delta, Essential Delta, Keycare Core Network Option.
Fedhealth. Maxima Entryzone (network hospitals only), Maxima Core.
Bonitas. Essential Option.
Health Squared. Hospital Plan.
Momentum Health.
Do hospital plans have a waiting period?
According to the Medical Schemes Act, medical aid schemes are entitled to impose a three-month general waiting period.
This protects other members of the Scheme by ensuring that individuals aren’t able to make large claims shortly after joining and then canceling their membership.
Is a hospital plan cheaper than medical aid?
A hospital plan is usually cheaper than a comprehensive medical aid plan and provides cover for hospitalization costs, but not for out-of-hospital treatment.