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General Category => Shares => Topic started by: Fawkes85 on September 10, 2016, 06:30:49 am

Title: Health Insurance
Post by: Fawkes85 on September 10, 2016, 06:30:49 am
So I will be heading back to SA next year which means no more national health insurance for me. Since there are so many private health insurance companies back home, and I do not even know where to start, I thought I would reach out to you guys.

Which company are you with? Are you happy with them? Which company would you recommend?

*I know this is not really JSE related so sorry about that*
Title: Re: Health Insurance
Post by: Mr_Dividend on September 10, 2016, 08:06:35 am
personally, I do not have any - one of my fears is having medical aid, paying for years, but then getting something not on the "prescribed" list. That would kill me.  ;)

Lately I have just heard shocking stories of incompetent SA docters - I've actually lost a lot of respect for SA trained docters. In brief, father - had a burst appendix, they could not find any thing wrong - eventually was going gangrenous.  Me, have DVT, they did not believe it and thought it was varicose veins. Friend, had hip op - sent him home with over the counter pain meds after a couple of days - turns out he did not even need the opp. Another friend - just bad nursing at Paarl Mediclinic - pretty much the same standard as gov hospitals. This is all in the last year and all private.
Title: Re: Health Insurance
Post by: czc on September 10, 2016, 03:18:12 pm
@Mr_Dividend So you don't have Medical aid. What about a hospital plan?
Title: Re: Health Insurance
Post by: Mr_Dividend on September 10, 2016, 03:49:33 pm
I have nether - but am not advocating that - it's more a budget issue.

Saying that,  I am happy to pay cash for most things, the WC hospitals are not too bad and if I got something major, I do have a UK passport.

 So don't have a medical aid, but have a rough plan  :D
Title: Re: Health Insurance
Post by: jaDEB on September 12, 2016, 07:55:37 am
Look at Discovery or Bonitas
Title: Re: Health Insurance
Post by: jonb on September 19, 2016, 03:01:16 pm

So good to hear

I am in the same boat, heading back to SA in November after 6 years in Europe

nice thread, not JSE related but still important financial topic!

So I will be heading back to SA next year which means no more national health insurance for me. Since there are so many private health insurance companies back home, and I do not even know where to start, I thought I would reach out to you guys.

Which company are you with? Are you happy with them? Which company would you recommend?

*I know this is not really JSE related so sorry about that*
Title: Re: Health Insurance
Post by: jonb on September 19, 2016, 03:10:18 pm
Look at Discovery or Bonitas

@Mr Dividend

Interesting! i have always thought of this and told myself I should just put the same amount of money into a good defensive investment and use this to pay for any medical emergencies

I also find in the past in SA when you pay cash you get better service

Only problem is if something serious happens before you have build enough enough reserves

Maybe a basic hospital plan and a separate fund for day to day emergencies ?
Title: Re: Health Insurance
Post by: jaDEB on September 19, 2016, 04:47:14 pm
I am on Discovery fully covered, but I have my Son and Daughter on Discovery lower thingies, basic it covers doctors (certain amount of visits) and it also have a hospital plan. Go to their website and look. u pay for medicine out of pocket, it is actually based on your income.
Title: Re: Health Insurance
Post by: Mr_Dividend on September 19, 2016, 05:23:37 pm
Look at Discovery or Bonitas

@Mr Dividend

Interesting! i have always thought of this and told myself I should just put the same amount of money into a good defensive investment and use this to pay for any medical emergencies

I also find in the past in SA when you pay cash you get better service

Only problem is if something serious happens before you have build enough enough reserves

Maybe a basic hospital plan and a separate fund for day to day emergencies ?

I think for most guys under 50 and earning a reasonable wage, a hospital plan is a good bet and sensible. I pay R300 a time to see a Doctor at a private clinic - includes any needed meds. But starting to think Google is a better doctor...
Title: Re: Health Insurance
Post by: jonb on September 20, 2016, 02:23:33 pm
Google is a better doctor :))

That depends on what source you take your info from

You could be giving yourself a heart attack sooner

thanks for the info!!!