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Is this the First Time You Need to Join a Medical Aid?

The best low-cost medical aid for a first-time member in South Africa is the Fedhealth flexiFED Savvy plan, starting at R 1,155 per month.

Designed for healthy members under 35, it provides unlimited private hospital cover, 3 annual GP consultations, chronic medicine for 27 PMB conditions, and an interest-free day-to-day savings option, so you only repay what you actually spend.
Designed for healthy under 35-year-old members and you can upgrade within 30 days of any life-changing event such as pregnancy or a new diagnosis.For many healthy young South Africans under 35, plans like Fedhealth flexiFED Savvy can offer affordable private hospital cover.

Who Is This Plan Most Suitable For?

This type of hospital plan may work well for:

• young professionals
• graduates starting work
• self-employed freelancers
• healthy singles under 35
• people moving off parents’ medical aid
• members wanting emergency hospital cover only

May NOT suit:

• families with children
• members needing extensive day-to-day cover
• people with chronic conditions needing broader benefits

This is the most affordable hospital plan available that does not compromise on quality.

In Hospital

• Unlimited access to listed private hospitals for planned and emergency hospitalisation, accommodation in a general ward, high care ward and intensive care unit, including theatre fees, medicine, material and hospital apparatus.
• Unlimited cover for network specialists and GPs.
• Limited amount for non-network, in-hospital specialists and GPs.
• Unlimited trauma treatment in a casualty ward.
• PMB benefits for dietetics, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.
• Unlimited PMB trauma treatment in a casualty ward with a co-payment for non-PMB conditions.

Out of Hospital

• Choose how you want to manage your day-to-day medical expenses and hospital benefits.
• 3 face-to-face GP consultations annually.
• Unlimited virtual GP visits and virtual mental wellness and stress and anxiety support.
• Oral and injectable female contraceptives.
• Chronic medicine (from any chemist) benefit for 27 PMB conditions.
• 30-day post hospital benefit for physio, occupational and speech therapy, dietician, pathology, and general radiology.
• Unlimited PMB specialized radiology.
• Screening benefits like flu vaccinations, HIV finger prick tests, and cervical cancer HPV PCR test.
• Wellness screening like BMI, blood pressure, finger prick cholesterol and glucose tests.
• Preventative screening like waist-to-hip ratio, body fat %, flexibility, posture and fitness.

And best of all… Upgrade plan within 30-days of a life-changing event such as a significant health change, a new diagnosis, or pregnancy.

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Feature	flexiFED Savvy	Typical Hospital Plan
Monthly premium	From R1,055	Usually higher
GP visits	3 included	Often none
Virtual GP	Unlimited	Limited
Savings options	Flexible	Usually fixed
Age limit	Under 35	Usually none

Plus

Like all flexiFED options, flexiFED Savvy members can choose how much day-to-day savings they need and how they want to pay for it:

1. Use it as a Comprehensive medical aid - premium R 1,604 pm with R 5,388 day-to-day savings plan, just like other medical aids where you repay some of the savings with every premium – whether you spend them or not.
2. Use it as a Hospital and a Backup saving plan - premium R 1,155 pm with R 6,528 day-to-day savings, where you choose how much savings you want to spend on out-of-hospital costs and then repay ONLY what you spend – interest free over 12-months!
   In the months you do not spend savings, your premium reverts to the lower hospital plan amount!

Best Low-Cost Medical Aid for First-Time Members

Premiums shown for a principal member with no dependants. updated May 2026 — confirm directly with scheme or accredited broker before joining. Premiums are for a principal member with no dependants.
All plans are registered with the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) and comply with Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMB) under the Medical Schemes Act. Income-linked premiums (Momentum Ingwe) vary significantly by salary bracket, so request a personalised quote. A 3-month general waiting period and up to 12-month exclusion for pre-existing conditions may apply to all first-time members.

Gap cover is strongly recommended alongside any hospital plan (from approx. R 282–R 591 pm). Premiums updated May 2026. Please confirm with us before joining.

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Why Young People Should Join a Medical Aid Early

Joining a medical aid early is one of the smartest financial and health decisions a young adult can make.
The following reasons all work together over time to avoid lifelong late joiner penalties, getting past waiting periods while you are still healthy, protecting yourself against unpredictable emergencies, and locking in lower premiums while you are young.

1. Late joiner penalties are a major hidden cost.
If you only join a medical aid after age 35 or have long gaps in cover, schemes can add a permanent penalty to your premium . So, you pay more (for the rest of your life), because you delayed joining.
Joining a plan early builds a continuous membership record and largely avoids these penalties, reducing your long‑term cost of cover.

2. Waiting periods are another reason to join as soon as you can.
New members can face months where certain conditions or procedures are not fully covered.
If you only join once you are already sick, pregnant, or facing surgery, you may pay contributions but still carry big medical costs yourself.
Joining while you are young and healthy allows you to serve those waiting periods before major conditions arise, so full cover is in place when you actually need it.

3. Medical emergencies can happen to young people too: accidents, sudden infections, and unexpected perations can create huge hospital bills.
A medical aid ensures you have immediate access to private hospitals and specialists without incurring crippling debt.
You can start with an affordable hospital plans and upgrade as your income and family needs grow

Joining a medical aid early is less about paying for something you don’t use and more about securing affordable, reliable protection for your future health and finances.

Now, consider this excellent idea… add an in-hospital a GAP cover plan from R 591 pm.

Now you have even more comprehensive cover for:

• up to 5 times Fedhealth’s rate of cover
• around 50 out patient procedures including CT, PET and MRI scans, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancer
• co-payments due for any hospital admissions, CT, PET and MRI scans, specified medical procedures, and use of non-network hospital or medical practitioner.
• full or in part CT, PET and MRI scans - if you have reached a medical aid sub-limit
• robotic medical procedures
• cancer treatment in excess of the medical aid limit, can be used for biological drugs.
• cosmetic breast reconstruction
• enhanced cancer cover
• accidental death and permanent disability
• trauma counselling
• pay your premiums following accidental death or permanent disability

You now have one of the more affordable hospital plans available for younger members.

Not sure if this is the right plan for your budget?I’ll help you compare affordable options from multiple medical aids at no cost, with honest advice based on your healthcare needs.

Get a Quote Apply

083 655 2164

You must consult the schemes/company product brochures and rules for comprehensive benefit descriptions.

We will offer you the best help at no cost!

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