Medical Aid in RSA is a vital resource which, in an ideal world, would be universally available to all. However, for a multitude of reasons, South Africans’ citizens face the harsh reality of having to cancel their medical aid policies. When your outlook improves and you are able to restore your medical cover, how easy is the process, and what other options exist at better value for money?
Primary Reasons for Leaving a Medical Aid RSA Scheme
With the gap between those who can afford medical aid and those who cannot – widening each year, the Department of Health, along with StatsSA, sought to determine the root causes of why RSA citizens leave their medical schemes. As reported in the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey, the following circumstances were cited as primary reasons for the cancellation of medical aid policies.
| Reason for leaving Medical Aid | Percentage |
| No longer affordable | 41% |
| I/my partner changed jobs. | 11.6% |
| I/my partner became unemployed | 11.2% |
| Was on a parents’ medical scheme but then left home | 9.3% |
| Was a member through a previous employer. When I changed employment, the contributions then became unaffordable | 13.1 |
| Other | 13.8% |
The affordability of medical aid in RSA is the overriding factor in the cancellation of medical aids. The survey also lends weight to the assumption that many South African medical aid policies can only be sustained through the part contribution of employers and organisations.
What to expect when reinstating your Medical Aid or Insurance Policy
While there is an overwhelming sense of relief when you are in a position to reinstate your medical aid policy, you need to bear in mind that waiting periods will once again apply. Even if you were a member before, you are considered as a “new member”. Depending on how long you have gone without medical cover, you will have to endure waiting periods ranging from 3 to 12 months for certain specified conditions and treatments.
Medical Aid or ? What other options are out there?
Rather than cutting out your health coverage completely, closely examine the range of medical insurance options that exist in the South African marketplace. If you are looking for a Plan similar to medical aid, where premiums are much lower in accordance with limited benefits, look no further than Day 1 Health. With a range of primary healthcare, hospital cover, and combined options to choose from, and the assurance of shorter waiting periods on many benefits, reinstating your healthcare cover need not be a painful process. Apply Online Today to protect yourself and restore peace of mind.
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