Choosing to join a Hospital or a Comprehensive Medical Aid plan,
based on the premium you are prepared to pay.
A Hospital plan offers "Risk only benefits," covering accidents, emergencies, and extensive hospitalisation for serious diseases.
A Comprehensive medical aid includes both in-hospital and day-to-day benefits, like GP visits, dental care, or optical needs.
Comprehensive plans cost more than Hospital plans.
Affordability is an important issue for most people joining a medical aid.
A good medical aid is a non-negotiable necessity - but it is expensive and unfortunately, the higher the benefits you want - the higher the premium you will pay!
Many people who join a Hospital Plan, hope that their day-to-day medical expenses remain manageable.
But, what if you have high, unexpected out-of-hospital expenses?
That is where joining a comprehensive medical aid is recommended.
If you can afford a hospital plan today, you can afford a medical aid and here are 2 of those plans to consider ...
1. Fedhealth flexiFED Plans
Fedhealth FlexiFED Plans offer comprehensive medical aid at the cost of a hospital plan.They provide a unique balance between affordability and benefits.
How do they do this?
You pay for a hospital plan while, having the safety net of a day-to-day savings.
And you only payback the savings when you spend them!
With FlexiFED, you only repay the savings once you spend them, unlike other medical aids where savings repayment is compulsory part of your premium - whether or not the savings are used.
Any amount spent from savings is repaid over the next 12-months without interest.
A portion of that spend is added to your next, and subsequent premium, until the loan is repaid.
Then your premium then drops back to that of a hospital plan - which is lower than a comprehensive plan.
How the savings work ...
In-Hospital Benefits:
There is no overall limit on in-hospital benefits across all plans however, there are specific benefit sub-limits. FlexiFED 1 uses listed hospitals, while other plans use any hospital for admissions.
Out-of-Hospital Benefits: Day-to-day expenses are covered from a savings fund.
Claims are accumulated and once they reach a pre-determined amount, and the savings are spent, Fedhealth pays for further preventative dentistry or basic dentistry and unlimited nominated network GP visits. Benefits depend on the chosen plan.
Plan Options and Costs: There are 4 flexiFED plans to chose from and cover depends on the plan you choose.
Hospital and plans have savings that you repay only when you spend them.
This allows you to control your medical aid premium.
Comprehensive plans are like any medical aid with savings plans.
Your savings are advanced at the beginning of a year and your premium is unaffected by savings use.
You repay the savings monthly, whether you spend them or not.
Chronic illness, Screening, Wellness initiatives and specific Healthy Programmes are available on all plans.
Premiums start from R 2,505 pm with R 6,310 savings.
Spend R 5,400 and they pay unlimited GP and essential dentistry thereafter.
OR join a flexiFED TRADITIONAL day-to-day savings account medical aid.
Premiums start from R 2,833 pm with R 3,940 savings
Spend R 5,400 and they pay unlimited GP and essential dentistry thereafter.
Get the best hospital and day-to-day benefits - all for a hospital plan premium!
Only Fedhealth gives you the ability to control your premium, yet have access to the cover you deserve!Ask me for for more information.
2. The Discovery Smart plan
The Discovery Smart Plan provides affordable in-hospital cover, chronic cover and day-to-day benefits.Benefits:
- Unlimited private hospital cover in the Smart Hospital Network
- Guaranteed full cover in hospital for listed specialists and up to 200% of the Discovery rate on Classic and up to 100% on Essential for other healthcare professionals
- Full chronic medicine cover for all listed Chronic Diseases from network pharmacies.
- Comprehensive pre- and postnatal healthcare services and early childhood
- Day-to-day cover for GP consultations, acute and over-the-counter medicine, eye and dental check-ups and sports-related injuries.
All with a Comprehensive co-payments and/or limits, depending on the plan. - Medical emergencies when travelling
You have a Comprehensive co-payment when accessing day-to-day benefits, so your premium is really only for the hospital portion of the medical aid.
- Classic Smart which includes an acute medicine and sports injury benefits.
- Essential Smart with higher co-payments and lower limits.
- Essential Dynamic Smart which will dynamically guide you to the most efficient network hospital, given your healthcare needs at the specific point in time.
It also helps identify specific specialists n order to provide you with full cover options. - Active Smart, the most affordable plan for young professionals. Full emergency hospital cover, protection for planned admissions, essential maternity, unlimited GP visits, OTC medication, dental and optical.
Premiums start from R 1,350 pm
These are excellent plans for those who do not need high out-of-hospital benefits.
The co-payment when you need treatment, gives you a comprehensive medical aid plan, but at a hospital plan premium!
The choice of which plan to join is yours ...
- Fedhealth gives you no overall limit hospital cover at any hospital you want.
They offer you immediate access to substantial funds for any day-to-day healthcare cost.
You also have a safety net, should you have spent your savings.
All at a hospital plan premium! - Discovery offers you no overall limit, listed hospital cover.
You have certainty of cost for essential day-to-day treatments through a co-payment at source.
If you want the finest medical care when you need it, at an affordable price,
then you certainly need one of these plans.
Private healthcare providers can charge up to 500% of medical scheme rates.Medical aids add procedure co-payments as well.
These are significant costs you must consider.
Protect yourself by joining Zest's GAP or top-up insurance plan.
This separate insurance will cover most in-hospital claim shortfalls and any co-payments. It is a vital safety net, ensuring you have enough to cover medical treatments, without having to pay for unexpected costs.Protect yourself from soaring medical expenses by bridging the gap between medical scheme rates and the charges imposed by private providers.
Specialised Dental treatments can be extremely expensive!
The costs of braces, root canal, implants and so on, can run into thousands of rand.Most treatments are done out-of-hospital, and are paid from your savings.
That can result in less money available for other medical needs and family limits being used on one member only!
Dental treatment is something we all need and it is vital you consider the Best Dental Insurance Plan
OR Most Affordable Dental Plan in South Africa.
No Medical Aid or have a Hospital Plan only?
This plan will help you meet the high costs of both normal and specialised dentistry!
Talk to me .... I am here to help you - at no charge!
Send me your questions and concerns. I'll answer them for you.
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Peter Pyburn - Authorised Financial Services Provider has been fully licensed to provide expert financial services since 1991.Based in Sandton, Johannesburg, Gauteng, we specialise in comprehensive financial planning including: Death and Disability Cover, Retirement Planning, Investment Strategies, Medical Aid, Estate Planning
FSP Licence 2995 and Medical Aid Accreditation BR 7428.
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Important Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or healthcare advice.
Medical aid benefits are subject to change. Please consult the medical aid brochure and speak to me before making any decisions.
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Last verified: October 20, 2025