5 Best Hospital Plans for Foreigners
The 5 Best Hospital Plans for Foreigners in South Africa revealed.
We tested them side by side and verified their hospital plans.
This is a complete guide to the best hospital plans for foreigners in South Africa.
In this in-depth guide you’ll learn:
- ✅ What is a Hospital Plan?
- ✅ Which hospital plan is cheap for an international student?
- ✅ What are the fees involved for foreigners travelling to South Africa?
- ✅ How to compare hospital plans against each other?
So if you’re ready to go “all in” with the best hospital plans for foreigners in South Africa, this guide is for you.
Let’s dive right in…
Best Hospital Plans for Foreigners (2024)
| 🩺 Medical Aid | ✔️ Offers Plans for Foreigners? | ⚕️ Plan Offered | 👉 Sign Up |
| 1. Discovery Health | Yes | Discovery KeyCare Plan | 👉 Apply Now |
| 2. Bonitas | Yes | Boncap Student | 👉 Apply Now |
| 3. Momentum Medical Aid | Yes | Ingwe Student Option | 👉 Apply Now |
| 4. Medshield | Yes | MediCore | 👉 Apply Now |
| 5. FedHealth | Yes | flexiFED Savvy | 👉 Apply Now |
5 Best Hospital Plans for Foreigners Summary
- Discovery Health – Overall, Best Hospital Plans for Foreigners in South Africa
- Bonitas – Broadest Range of Low-Cost Medical Aid Plans
- Momentum Health – Best Customer Service Medical Aid
- Medshield – Best Pay-As-You-Go Private Healthcare
- Fedhealth – Top Extensive Medical Protection in South Africa
Introduction to Best Hospital Plans for Foreigners
You are probably aware of the excessive costs that are charged by private medical facilities located across South Africa if you are a foreigner.
In the event that you are hurt in an accident or suffer a serious illness, it is possible that the price is too high, even for really fundamental medical treatment.
Even though you are not a citizen of the country, you are still permitted to utilise the public healthcare services if you find it necessary. In spite of this, it is not a course of action that can be recommended.
The public hospitals and clinics in South Africa are straining under a huge amount of pressure and are unable to give the same quality of medical treatment that is generally accessible in other areas of the globe.
Who Qualifies for a hospital plan?
If a foreigner wants to stay in South Africa for a lengthy period of time, the person should at least consider joining in a hospital plan. They only need to have a current visa that allows them to work, study, or remain in the country, in addition to a passport that is still valid.
Most plans will enable foreigners to join as long as there is a South African bank account to pay for the cover (it can be someone else’s account). When it comes to holiday travellers, you will either need to purchase travel insurance or pay for all of your consultations, prescriptions, and treatments, whether they take place inside or outside of a hospital, out of your own personal finances.
📌 Poll: 5 Best Medical Insurance for International Travel in South Africa
What Benefits Are Foreigners Entitled to?
Foreigners will have access to the same medical aid advantages that South Africans get. The kind of plan or alternative that you sign up for will determine the extent of protection that you have access to.
In-hospital consultations and treatments can be covered by a hospital plan.
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Exclusions and waiting periods
All new members of a scheme will be required to observe particular waiting periods before being eligible for certain benefits.
There will be a general three-month waiting time during which you will not be eligible for any coverage. If you already have a medical condition when you join the hospital, you probably will not be eligible for the benefits connected to treatment and care of that illness for the first year that you are a member of the plan.
1. Discovery Health
Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) is one of the largest open medical schemes in South Africa. Anyone can join, as long as they follow the rules of the Scheme.
The Core Series is a value-for-money series of hospital plans that provide unlimited private hospital cover and essential cover for chronic medicine but with no day-to-day cover.
The Discovery Health Core Series includes the following plans:
- ✅ Discovery Health Classic Core
- ✅ Discovery Health Classic Delta Core
- ✅ Discovery Health Coastal Core
- ✅ Discovery Health Essential Core
- ✅ Discovery Health Essential Delta Core
The Smart Series of plans provide the most cost-effective in-hospital cover, essential chronic medicine cover plus limited day-to-day cover if you use providers in a specified network.
The Discovery Health Smart Series consist out of the following plans:
➡️ Discovery Health Essential Smart Medical Aid Plan
➡️ Discovery Health Essential Dynamic Smart Medical Aid Plan
➡️ Discovery Health Classic Smart Medical Aid Plan
The basic Keycare Series offer affordable medical cover providing you use providers in a specified network for both in-hospital and out-of-hospital treatment.
2. Bonitas
Bonitas offers a wide variety of plans including:
Hospital plans
These plans cover you for emergency and planned procedures in hospital and you get access to some additional benefits for wellness and preventative care.
BonStart & BonStart Plus Plans
This option gives economically active foreigners a good start-up hospital plan option.
Bonitas Medical Aid Guide:
- 📌 Bonitas Application Process guide.
- 📌 Bonitas Cancellation Process guide.
- 📌 Bonitas Authorisation Process guide.
- 📌 Bonitas Complaints Procedure guide.
- 📌 Bonitas Contact Details guide.
- 📌 Bonitas Medical Aid Plans that Include International Travel Insurance guide.
- 📌 Bonitas Medical Plans for Students guide.
- 📌 Bonitas Maternity Benefits guide.
- 📌 Bonitas Hospital Network guide.
- 📌 Bonitas Tax Certificates guide.
- 📌 Bonitas Optometrist Network guide.
- 📌 Bonitas Waiting Period guide.
3. Momentum Health
Momentum Medical Scheme gives access to a wide range of medical insurance plans and benefits, including 6 medical aid plans.
Evolve Option
Th Evolve option covers foreigners for hospitalisation from the Evolve Network of private hospitals with no overall annual limit.
Incentive Option
With this Incentive option you get extensive hospital and chronic cover from any or associated providers. Day-to-day expenses is covered by a dedicated medical savings account funded by 10% of your monthly contributions
4. Medshield
✅ Medshield offers a Compact option with compulsory use of networks and care co-ordination, nominating a Family Practitioner and the Family Practitioner-to-Specialist referral process, resulting in cheaper contributions.
MediCore
✅ MediCore is a hospital plan that is best for people who are young and healthy. It gives hospital coverage at a network of hospitals, and it pays 200% of the bills for specialists while they are in the hospital.
MediSwift
✅ MediSwift is an unlimited hospital plan that pays for big medical problems that happen while you are in the hospital. MediSwift offers unlimited in-hospital coverage through the Compact Hospital Network.
MediPhilia
✅ MediPhilia is best for people who are young and strong. There is a maximum of R1,000,000 per family for hospital care at a network of hospitals, and 100% of expert bills paid in hospitals.
MediCurve
✅ MediCurve is a cheap digital plan that makes it possible for young, healthy, tech-savvy people who are purchasing medical aid for the first time to do so without putting a financial pressure on their daily lives.
5. Fedhealth
Fedhealth gives its members access to medical care that they can manage themselves.
myFED and flexiFED Savvy offer affordable (salary-banded) cover for lower income, previously uncovered employees.
flexiFED 1 and flexiFED 2 are affordable hospital plans that give solid medical aid cover at a great price. Members can get access to Fedhealth Savings to help cover unexpected day-to-day medical bills and a Threshold Benefit that kicks in once your claims have reached a certain level.
📌 Learn more about The 5 Best Medical Aids for Foreigners Living in South Africa compared and revealed
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a foreigner get a hospital plan in South Africa?
✅ Yes, hospital plans are available for foreigners in South Africa but depends on the type of visa one has while in the country.
Can foreigners get the same benefits as citizens from a hospital plan?
✅ Yes, foreigners are entitled to get the same benefits as citizens from a hospital plan they join.
Do foreigners pay in public hospitals in South Africa?
Foreign nationals can get free basic health care in public hospitals but should only pay for primary healthcare.
📌 READ more about Medical Aid for Foreigners in South Africa
