• Alpha: R2100
• Medisave Essential:
R1 860
• Medisave Max:
R4 460
• Medisave Standard:
R2 600
(Price per plan is determined by your income
GP Visits
Yes
Yes
GP in room visits
Yes
Yes
Specialist visits
Yes (with sublimits)
Yes
Acute medication
Yes
Yes
Chronic medication
Yes
Yes
Basic pathology
Yes
Yes
Basic and emergency dentistry
Basic dentistry only
Yes
Basic optometry
Yes
Yes
HIV benefit
Yes
Yes
Maternity benefit
Yes
Yes
Road accident claims
Yes
Will give assistance
Bonitas vs. Medimed
👉 Both Bonitas and Medimed are known medical aid companies that provide a comprehensive selection of tailored plans. Here, we compare in these two medical aid schemes to help you decide on the best option for your healthcare needs in 2026.
Which offers more affordable cover - Bonitas or Medimed?
👉 Bonitas offers the lowest premium on its BonStart plan, and also offers a greater selection of affordable medical aid plans designed for singles, families, and pensioners. Medimed only offers a choice between four plans but the price you pay depends on your income. Medimed’s Medisave Essential plan is a capitated option and it is unfortunately only available to members in the Nelson Mandela Metropole as this is the area where the aid has specific contracts with the providers.
Do both schemes offer gap cover?
👉 Gap cover is short-term insurance policy which provides shortfall cover where doctors and specialists charge above medical aid rates of cover. It is not a medical aid or hospital cover. Gap cover works in conjunction with your medical aid.
👉 In exchange for a monthly premium, the gap cover provider will reimburse you for a portion of the difference between your medical expenses and what your medical insurance would cover. If you utilize a healthcare provider who is not in your medical plan's network, you may frequently pay more for services at private hospitals than what your plan would pay for.
👉 Bonitas gives you three Gap Cover options, and the options have been designed to provide the most comprehensive medical expense shortfall cover along with extensive financial protection against a wide range of health risks.
👉 Medimed offers the option to take out gap cover with Momentum which specifically makes provision for clients of Medimed.
Who is Bonitas?
👉 The worldwide rating for Bonitas’ financial security is AA+. As a percentage, it is 36.5% solvent.
👉 Since the majority of Bonitas contributors and beneficiaries are relatively young, under 30 years old, annual contribution increases tend to be more modest on average.
👉 Hospitalization, long-term care, and pharmaceutical coverage are all available at low costs through the various medical assistance plans offered by Bonitas. This organization is a great fit for both individuals and families seeking medical insurance.
👉 Bonitas wasn’t the country of South Africa’s initial medical aid provider, but it has swiftly become the largest. Its doors first opened in 1982.
👉 The 4,500 doctors, hospitals, and other medical facilities that make up the Bonitas network are dedicated to providing high-quality care at reasonable costs.
👉 To help tackle the rising expense of healthcare, Bonitas provides its clients with two distinct solutions: oncology management and hospital and medicine management.
👉 Many Bonitas policies include coverage for Lasik eye surgery in addition to other dental and vision therapies. The interest that is accrued on each participant’s unused amount is carried over to the following year.
Who will benefit from Bonitas Medical Scheme?
👉 Bonitas is a good option for young families and individuals looking for affordable medical aid that will cover the most essential and important aspects of their medical needs, including GP visits, chronic medication, and medical emergencies in-hospital.
👉 You might also like to consider the following plans Bonitas has to offer:
👉 The Medimed Medical Aid, founded in 1980, focuses on providing healthcare solutions to members in the Nelson Mandela Metropolis. As of the end of 2026, the scheme had just over 14,300 members. Despite its small size, Medimed is one of the most financially secure schemes in South Africa with a solvency ratio of 93%+
👉 Medimed’s primary mission is to give the members of the organisation access to a comprehensive medical care facility that extends to encompass a wide range of additional components.
👉 According to the regulations of the Scheme, the key participants in the plan will consist of those workers who are currently employed by the company as well as the beneficiaries of those workers. Members who have reached retirement age and are still eligible for benefits under the plan are known as retirees and their beneficiaries respectively.
👉 Medimed’s delivery arrangements include a capitated managed care model where comprehensive cover is purchased from the local IPA’s (Independent Practice Associations) and free choice.
👉 Medimed provides four options with comprehensive hospitalization and chronic medication coverage. Each plan provides a different way to manage the out-of-hospital benefits. The Alpha option is a co-payment plan. Medisave Max and Standard provide out-of-hospital benefits through a savings account with an additional elective benefit. The Medisave Essential option is a managed health care plan provided by contracted service providers with the added flexibility of a savings account.
👉 Medimed Medical Aid has a late joiner fee and also has the following plans to choose from:
👉 All Medimed’s plans are designed to provide solid cover for what is considered essential to preserve and protect your health. It makes provision for students, singles, couples, families and pensioners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which medical aid offers the cheapest medical plan, Bonitas or Medimed?
Bonitas’ BonCore plan is the cheapest at R1 275 per month in 2026. Medimed’s cheapest medical plan is the Medisave Essential plan at R1 860 per month.
Which medical aid, Bonitas or Medimed are the most popular?
Bonitas has much more members, 730 000 compared to the 14,300+ members of Medimed. Bonitas also offers a choice between 16 different medical plans, where the choice at Medimed is only between four medical plans.
Do Bonitas and Medimed medical aids offer the option of gap cover?
Bonitas offer the option to apply for gap cover. With Medimed, members have the option to apply for gap cover with Momentum.
Do Bonitas and Medimed medical aids have a waiting period?
Yes, both Bonitas and Medimed have a general three-month waiting period during which you are unable to submit a claim.
Which is the best medical aid between Bonitas and Medimed?
Bonitas has been in operation since it opened its door in 1982. Due to the more affordable medical plans, the members of Bonitas seems to be under 30 years of age. Medimed is a fairly young medical aid and was only founded in 1980 and solely focusses on providing healthcare solutions to members in the Nelson Mandela Petropolis.
