Latest updates within the medical aid industry
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Why do you need medical aid?

Posted by Nick in General - (0 Comments)

Medical treatment is very expensive, especially when the need for it is unforeseen and your savings won’t cover it. Having medical aid cover is therefore necessary to ensure that you have access to the necessary funds to cover you and your family’s medical expenses.

What is a medical aid policy?
Medical aid provision works like insurance. The policy holder pays a monthly premium to the insurer and, should medical cover be required, the insurer will pay for these expenses based on the agreement between the insurer and the insured. The medical aid policy is the contract between these two parties, stating what is covered and who is covered under this agreement.

The advantages of having medical cover
Medical aid can be expensive, but considering the cost of not having medical cover when you most need it, it’s worth it to be prepared, especially for chronic illnesses. Policy holders with a comprehensive medical aid package will be covered for visits to the doctor, dentist, optometrist, and other specialists, as well as for hospitalisation. Those who only opt for a hospital plan (with or without a savings balloon) will need to pay for their own visits to the doctor, etc.

Some medical aid providers offer health incentive packages like free gym membership, reduced airfares, rewards schemes on healthy grocery purchases. Participating in these lifestyle programmes can improve your health and save you a lot of money.

The risks of not being covered
People without medical aid are less likely to seek professional medical attention when they are sick or injured, which could lead to higher medical expenses should their health condition worsen and they are forced to pay for treatment. Uninsured people also don’t go for regular health check-ups and run the risk of developing chronic diseases that go undiscovered until it’s too late for preventative attention.

Medical insurers offer a variety of products, so you will be able to choose the medical cover that best suits your needs and budget.

Image courtesy of:  www.ginger-ieltelife.blogspot.com

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How to prevent colds and flu

Posted by Nick in General - (0 Comments)

Did you know that hot is faster than cold? Why? Because it’s easier to catch a cold. We are all aware of the misery caused by the painful headaches and body aches associated with colds and flu; of blocked sinuses and teary eyes, and dustbins full of soggy tissues.

So here are some tips on how to prevent colds and flu:

Eat healthy
Fruit and vegetables naturally contain the vitamins and minerals that will strengthen your body and boost your immune system, so it’s time to double up on the greens and yellows this winter. Avoid junk food as it contains unhealthy fats and preservatives that don’t do your immune system any favours. Don’t forget to drink lots of water to flush out the germs.

Exercise regularly
Get your heart pumping and give your circulation system a workout this winter. Keeping in shape will prepare your body to fight bacteria and stay healthy – and you’ll stay warm, so it’s a win-win!

Protect your immune system
Unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking, and consuming things like artificial sweeteners and dairy products can increase your proneness to getting sick in winter, but they can also severely slow down your recovery process if you’re already sick. It’s best to adopt a holistic approach to health during flu season.

Shower once daily
Be clean, but not too clean. Excessive showering, especially with exfoliants and soaps, can make your skin sensitive and more susceptible to sickness-causing bacteria.

Get Advice
Remember that you can always ask your health care professional for the best vitamins to help you keep colds and flu at bay. In addition, many medical aids in South Africa will pay a portion if not all of the cost for vitamins and immune boosters.

Choose your friends wisely
The best thing you can do to prevent colds and flu is to stay away from others while they are sick. Luckily in these technology-driven times, we can use online chat and video calls to maintain close connections and to share time together … without sharing the bugs.

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The benefits of generic drugs

Posted by Keamogetsoe Ledwaba-Maodi in Comparisons - (0 Comments)

It is well-known that branded medication is more expensive than generic drugs. Many people opt for generic medication over brands because of this, but how much do you really know about why generic drugs exist and the difference between branded and generic?

A generic drug is bioequivalent (containing the same active ingredients) to its branded counterpart. There may be slight differences in the inactive ingredients (which may change the colour and taste of the drug), but the generic drug is otherwise exactly the same as the branded one.

A branded drug will go through an extensive research, development and testing process before being made available to the market. Branded drugs are usually more expensive because the manufacturers need to recover the development, marketing and distribution costs for the branded drug.

Once the branded drug has been approved by the FDA, pharmaceutical manufacturers obtain a patent for the drug, which lasts for 17 years. When the patent runs out, other pharmaceutical manufacturers will then be allowed to develop their own version of the drug, branded and marketed as a generic and most likely named after its active ingredient. A good example is the painkiller brand Panado. You can also buy the generic drug, paracetamol, as an unbranded equivalent.

Generic drugs cost substantially less than branded drugs because the manufacturers of generics don’t incur the same developments costs – the research and development has already been done. This cost saving is passed on to the you which means that your medical aid will be happy with the use of generic drugs and your overall medical costs should be less.

In spite of the bio-equivalency of generic drugs, it’s always best to seek advice from your doctor regarding the most suitable prescription medication you need. Many doctors understand the cost implications of branded drugs and will inform you of the available generics.

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Why do you need medical aid?

Posted by Nick in General - (0 Comments)

Medical treatment is very expensive, especially when the need for it is unforeseen and your savings won’t cover it. Having medical aid cover is therefore necessary to ensure that you have access to the necessary funds to cover you and your family’s medical expenses.

What is a medical aid policy?

Medical aid provision works like insurance. The policy holder pays a monthly premium to the insurer and, should medical cover be required, the insurer will pay for these expenses based on the agreement between the insurer and the insured. The medical aid policy is the contract between these two parties, stating what is covered and who is covered under this agreement.

The advantages of having medical cover

Medical aid can be expensive, but considering the cost of not having medical cover when you most need it, it’s worth it to be prepared, especially for chronic illnesses. Policy holders with a comprehensive medical aid package will be covered for visits to the doctor, dentist, optometrist, and other specialists, as well as for hospitalisation. Those who only opt for a hospital plan (with or without a savings balloon) will need to pay for their own visits to the doctor, etc.

Some medical aid providers offer health incentive packages like free gym membership, reduced airfares, rewards schemes on healthy grocery purchases. Participating in these lifestyle programmes can improve your health and save you a lot of money.

The risks of not being covered

People without medical aid are less likely to seek professional medical attention when they are sick or injured, which could lead to higher medical expenses should their health condition worsen and they are forced to pay for treatment. Uninsured people also don’t go for regular health check-ups and run the risk of developing chronic diseases that go undiscovered until it’s too late for preventative attention.

Medical insurers offer a variety of products, so you will be able to choose the medical cover that best suits your needs and budget.

The benefits of generic drugs

Posted by Nick in Families - (0 Comments)

It is well-known that branded medication is more expensive than generic drugs. Many people opt for generic medication over brands because of this, but how much do you really know about why generic drugs exist and the difference between branded and generic?

A generic drug is bioequivalent (containing the same active ingredients) to its branded counterpart. There may be slight differences in the inactive ingredients (which may change the colour and taste of the drug), but the generic drug is otherwise exactly the same as the branded one.

A branded drug will go through an extensive research, development and testing process before being made available to the market. Branded drugs are usually more expensive because the manufacturers need to recover the development, marketing and distribution costs for the branded drug.

Once the branded drug has been approved by the FDA, pharmaceutical manufacturers obtain a patent for the drug, which lasts for 17 years. When the patent runs out, other pharmaceutical manufacturers will then be allowed to develop their own version of the drug, branded and marketed as a generic and most likely named after its active ingredient. A good example is the painkiller brand Panado. You can also buy the generic drug, paracetamol, as an unbranded equivalent.

Generic drugs cost substantially less than branded drugs because the manufacturers of generics don’t incur the same developments costs – the research and development has already been done. This cost saving is passed on to the you which means that your medical aid will be happy with the use of generic drugs and your overall medical costs should be less.

In spite of the bio-equivalency of generic drugs, it’s always best to seek advice from your doctor regarding the most suitable prescription medication you need. Many doctors understand the cost implications of branded drugs and will inform you of the available generics.

The Importance of having a family paediatrician!

Posted by Nick in Families | Moms - (0 Comments)

As a busy mom there are just not enough hours in a day. The last thing you need to worry about on top of the load that already exists is deciding whether to take your sick child to a general GP or a pharmacist.

In general, some families think that if they already have a dentist, optometrist, GP and a pharmacist, there is no need for anything else. Although a GP is your go-to person for every medical issue, a paediatrician is a must, especially when you’ve got growing children. Some medical issues are best dealt with someone who’s a specialist in their field.

There are so many infections and viruses that affect kids in so many ways that going to a doctor that specializes in children is the best decision for any parent. Not only do they save you time and money in the long run they know how to best deal with a sick child.

One of the best reasons to have a paediatrician is that kids love them! This is awesome because we all know that as a mom you have better luck finding parking in a busy mall at the end of the month than you do getting your little one to see the dentist. Paediatricians are a parent’s best friend so why not get someone who knows how to handle your two year old who’s famous for throwing tantrums.

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Why young professionals should consider medical aid first, before that sports car!

Posted by Nick in Young Professionals - (0 Comments)

So you’ve just landed your dream job and the first thing that comes to mind are the amazing shopping sprees, or that fast car you’ve had your eye on. Unfortunately, the last thing that comes to mind is medical aid. In today’s world one cannot afford not to have medical aid due to the expenses incurred on a daily basis. Most young professionals barely consider it until tragedy strikes and hospital bills start piling up.

These days people insure almost everything because as a person your personal valuables matter to you. The question you need to ask is, shouldn’t my health matter too? If a painting can cost you R15 000, which you could easily loose should your house burn down, you’d make sure that you insure it. Shouldn’t you do the same for your health?

Getting medical aid is like getting insurance for your health. You no longer have to worry about paying for every medical cost such as over-the-counter meds or the dreaded hospital stay which can easily amount to R2 000 to R5 000 a day. Just like you made the decision to get the sports car or dream house, make a decision and get medical aid. It’s the best investment money can buy. At the end of the day it’s your health and your body, and you only live once, so make it count!

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Medical Aid Advisor

Posted by Nick in Families - (0 Comments)

It is important to find a financial advisor. The advisor will assist you in many things like selecting the right medical aid plan. Getting medical aid for your family is a smart move. However, South African medical aid schemes are very administration intensive. For thoseMedical Aid Advisors families who claim from their broker every month; should have a look into their broker so that any administrative hiccups can be handled in time. There are a number of disadvantages between advisors and clients. Nonetheless, there comes a time when reasons are abound for financial advisors to support medical aid schemes.

Every family needs to be in a medical aid scheme. Medical aids are ubiquitous and it is imperative to be covered. In the past few years, the average cost for medical aid has increased, and this means that an average family could spend close to 10% of their income on medical aid cover.

What other people don’t know is that there is a vast array of options to choose from when it comes to medical aid for your family. The legislative changes in chronic benefits and many other options enable prospective clients to select the appropriate medical aid cover at an appropriate cost. It is also very important to find an advisor who will discuss the family’s medical history, the number of kids expected and after that; come to a conclusion whether the family should go for a hospital plan or a threshold plan.

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Struggling to identify what medical aid you should get as a mom?

Posted by Nick in Families | Moms | Young Professionals - (0 Comments)

Moms With Medical Aid

It has been said that Medical aids in South Africa are not cheap.  Well, maybe that’s true. However; there are numerous medical aid schemes that have affordable and reasonable medical cover that suits you. All medical aids in South Africa pretty much offer the same plans. The only things that differentiates them from their competition is how they bundle the plans together to suit your needs.

It’s not about choosing the best or most well known medical aid in South Africa, it’s more about making a decision based on your family’s needs and your financial situation. Your family’s health care is essential and it is therefore important that you make the right decision from the start. If you are unsure of where to start, contact any medical aid company and request a needs analysis. I know for a fact that Momentum has an amazing excel spreadsheet that calculates which medical aid package you should be on and it gives you a cost estimate up front.

If you want affordable medical aid for moms; you need to do assessments. Try and figure out what you want, what you need and how many kids you have, or are going to have, then make a decision.

 

 

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Eyes on the prize

Posted by Nick in Families - (0 Comments)

It is always nice to feel that you belong, be it a sports club, work colleagues and even socially hanging with a group of friends, these are things that most people enjoy doing. It is important for medical aid schemes to make their members feel as if they belong. Remember that your medical aid provider does not exist without you around, so they will do everything they can to make sure that you are well taken off whenever you fall ill.

 

Patient Satisfication

Exceptional medical aid schemes today also involve their members in projects and initiatives that focus around the wellbeing and sustainability. Some of these initiatives are focused around physical activities such as cycling, iron-man challenges and marathons etc. and others are focused on curbing social issues that cause a lot of fatalities such as drunk driving and alcohol abuse.

A good medical aid scheme will also be a good corporate citizen, helping out the less fortunate communities by sponsoring a school, being a part of sustainability programs and also offering skills and development opportunities to people from previously disadvantaged communities.

We all want medical aid that we can be proud to be associated with, if your medical aid scheme is doing well externally, chances are,  they also provide quality health care services to their members.

 

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