Don’t cut your medical aid when times are tough

There hasn’t been much good news doing the rounds lately. In fact, as a nation we are collectively fatigued by all the bad news... from load shedding to work-from-home challenges and home-schooling. We don’t even have to spell out the starring role COVID-19 has played in all of this. Luckily, Fedhealth Medical Scheme has some good news lined up for 2022.

The pandemic has again emphasised how precious our health is – and how important having quality medical aid cover is to protect it.

Especially when you consider that, according to Fedhealth statistics, the average cost per COVID-19 hospital admission in 2021 has been R163 000 so far, with the average length of stay in-hospital of 10 days per COVID-19 admission. To date, the largest single COVID-19 hospital account has been R4m.

Not many of us can carry these types of costs out of our own pocket, which is where good quality medical aid will make all the difference when you need it most. By mid-July 2021, Fedhealth had paid out R375m towards COVID-19 claims – with hospitalisation costs amounting to R240m, and pathology (i.e. tests) totalling R55m.

So, while the aftermaths of this global challenge will reverberate for many years, when it comes to cutting expenses out of necessity just to make it to the end of themonth, with Fedhealth, South Africans won’t have to cut their medical aid in 2022. And that’s a promise.

Observations around medical aid membership in the time of COVID-19

Here are some trends that Fedhealth has noted amongst its own members as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic:

• During the 2021 renewal period, 5% of Fedhealth members downgraded. This is just marginally higher than what the Scheme usually sees in pre-pandemic years.

• A decrease in the number of members cancelling their membership was also noted.

These two observations suggest that Fedhealth members are prioritising medical aid as they see the value of it, in the midst of a pandemic that shows no signs of significantly slowing down anytime soon.

• Further investigations into Fedhealth members who downgraded, show that 56% of them have benefited from paying less in contributions without actually downgrading to a less comprehensive option.

This is as a result of Fedhealth’s unique product design which allows members on the flexiFED range to take advantage of either an 11% or 25% discount on their contribution by opting for the GRID or Elect variants. The GRID and Elect variants are available on all flexiFED plans, and offer the exact same level of benefits as the non-discounted rates, but members must make use of certain network facilities for planned procedures requiring hospitalisation.

• Towards the end of 2020, 93% of Fedhealth members were content with their Fedhealth plans, choosing to not change their option at all – which goes to show that Fedhealth’s product range and benefit structure do appeal to its members.

Good news for 2022, brought to you by Fedhealth

• Have plans of your own? You don’t have to put the baby bump on hold because of medical aid costs.

Only Fedhealth allows you to upgrade to a higher option anytime of the year once you’re actually pregnant. This means you can choose a more affordable option now to save on your monthly medical aid expenses, and only upgrade when you absolutely need to, within 30 days of a life-changing event, such as a pregnancy or a serious disease diagnosis.

• Don’t give up on your medical aid in the COVID-19 economy, control it. Only Fedhealth offers you quality hospital cover that covers you for accidents and emergencies, and optional day-to-day benefits you only pay for if you use them. Our entire flexiFED range can be used as hospital plans on steroids, which can mean much lower contributions without compromising on the quality of your cover.

• Create your aid and pay for what you need. With Fedhealth, you can get quality medical aid for emergencies, without paying for the bells and whistles too. Our Elect variant allows you to pay 25% less without compromising on quality – by choosing to pay a fixed co-payment on all planned procedures at any private hospital. A great option if you’re healthy and not foreseeing procedures of this nature in the near future. Or, another alternative is choosing our GRID variant – which lets you save 11% on your monthly contribution by using one of the more than 100 hospitals on our Fedhealth GRID network for planned procedures.

• In this job market, your grown-up kids are studying for longer... which means eating you out of house and home. Switch to the only medical aid that allows you to pay child rates up to the age of 27 if your kids are financially dependent on you.

• While job security might be out the door due to the pandemic, Fedhealth’s flexiFED range puts you in control to create the aid that’s affordable for you without ever compromising on the quality of cover.

• Let’s face it, add-ons are pretty useless in a pandemic. With Fedhealth, you don’t pay for the expensive rewards or extras you can’t even use. Switch to Fedhealth and create the aid you need. Get the best value medical aid and pay less.

• Many of us have neglected preventative screenings and healthcare assessments over the last two years. This was mainly to avoid exposure to the coronavirus, and of course, to not overburden an already strained healthcare system. Fedhealth remains concerned about the impact of the pandemic on preventative care and the reduction in the number of members having their annual check-ups and screenings. The good news is that Fedhealth offers members a comprehensive screening benefit, which should help them to get back on track and up to date in no time – without putting additional strain on their pockets.

Switch to Fedhealth for affordable medical aid that you create and you control. Visit fedhealth.co.za or call us on 0860 002 153 today.