BestMed Medical Scheme vs Momentum Medical Scheme
BestMed Medical Scheme versus Momentum compared and revealed.
We tested them side by side and verified their medical aid plans benefits, affordability, and much more.
This is a complete guide to BestMed and Momentum in South Africa.
In this in-depth guide you’ll learn:
- What is a Medical Scheme?
- Which medical aid is the best for young families?
- Which medical aid is best for a young person?
- How to compare medical aids against each other?
- Which should you choose: BestMed or Momentum?
So if you’re ready to go “all in” with the BestMed versus Momentum in South Africa, this guide is for you.
Let’s dive right in…
BestMed Medical Scheme vs Momentum Medical Scheme Summary
Overall Comparison
✔️ Feature | 🥇 BestMed | 🥇 Momentum |
General comparison | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Number of plans | 13 | 6 |
Lowest premium | R1 873.00 (Beat1 Network) | R541.00 (Ingwe) |
Highest premium | R10 343.00 (Pace4) | R13 573.00 (Summit) |
Student Plan | No | Yes |
Gap Cover | Yes | Yes |
Hospital plans | Yes | Yes |
Maternity benefits | Yes | Yes |
Number of members | 210 000 | 293 000 |
Plan benefits
✔️ Feature | 🥇 BestMed | 🥇 Momentum |
Name of Plan | • Beat1 • Beat1 Network • Rhythm1 • Rhythm2 • Beat2 • Beat2 Network • Beat3 • Beat3 Network • Pace1 • Beat4 • Pace2 • Pace3 • Pace4 | • Evolve • Custom • Incentive • Extender • Summit • Ingwe |
Price per plan | • Beat1: R2 082.00 • Beat1 Network: R1 873.00 • Rhythm1: R1 432.00 • Rhythm2: R2 100.00 • Beat2: R2 545.00 • Beat2 Network: R2 289.00 • Beat3: R3 724.00 • Beat3 Network: R3 352.00 • Pace1: R5 061.00 • Beat4: R6 059.00 • Pace2: R7 212.00 • Pace3: R8 280.00 • Pace4: R10 343.00 | • Evolve: R1 687.00 • Custom: R2 149.00 • Incentive: R2 794.00 • Extender: R6 589.00 • Summit: R13 573.00 • Ingwe: R541.00 |
GP Visits | Yes | Yes |
GP in room visits | Yes | Yes |
Specialist visits | Yes | Yes |
Acute medication | Yes | Yes |
Chronic medication | Yes | Yes |
Basic pathology | Yes | Yes |
Basic and emergency dentistry | Yes | Yes depending on the plan you choose |
Basic optometry | Yes | Yes depending on the plan you choose |
HIV benefit | Yes | Yes |
Maternity benefit | Yes | Yes |
Road accident claims | Yes | Yes but not linked to medical aid scheme |
BestMed Medical Scheme vs. Momentum Medical Scheme
👉 Both BestMed and Momentum Medical Scheme are known medical aid schemes that provide a comprehensive selection of tailored plans. Here, we compare in these two medical aid schemes to help you decide on the best medical aid option for your healthcare needs in 2024.
Which offers more affordable cover – BestMed or Momentum Medical Scheme?
👉 While Momentum Medical Scheme has the lowest premium of the two medical aids with its Ingwe plans that specifically focusses on students, BestMed offers a greater selection of affordable medical aid plans designed for individuals, young families, and pensioners.
👉 Try out: Compare medical aid schemes in South Africa with rates and benefits.
Do both schemes offer gap cover?
👉 Gap cover is a short-term insurance policy which provides shortfall cover where doctors and specialists charge above medical aid rates of cover. BestMed as well as Momentum offers direct cover from a broker.
👉 The gap cover products from BestMed is managed by Totalrisksa and cover shortfalls on approved in-hospital specialist claims, specific out-of-hospital costs related to an approved hospital admission and shortfalls on approved emergency international claims while travelling outside of South Africa. There are three product options to choose from.
👉 It should be noted that Momentum does not only provide medical aid but also has a number of other divisions under its umbrella. Gap cover is one of them but does not fall directly under the medical scheme.
Do both schemes offer hospital plans?
👉 Yes, both BestMed and Momentum Medical Scheme offer hospital plans. BestMed offers you a choice of only having hospital coverage with your plan or combining it with day-to-day expenses. BestMed hospital plans cover you in hospital for unlimited emergency and planned procedures. You also get access to some additional benefits for wellness and preventative care. It includes full cover in hospitals for specialists and full cover for chronic medication.
👉 All of Momentum Medical Scheme’s plans come with hospital plans that will pay for the costs of your care if you are admitted to the hospital, including ward costs, theatre fees, and accounts from other in-hospital providers like anesthesiologists or radiologists. All of its hospital plans are governed by the terms of the Scheme, pre-approval, case management, clinical guidelines, and the benefit choice you have selected.
👉 Read more about Medical Aid Schemes that cover Diabetes
Who is BestMed Medical Scheme?
👉 Bestmed was founded in 1964 and currently has more than 210 000 lives under its care. The Scheme is the largest self-administered scheme in South Africa and the fourth largest open medical scheme.
👉 BestMed has also been recognised for its outstanding contribution to the medical aid and healthcare industry, and has received a number of awards. In 2020 and 2021 it received the highest rating for perceived quality, perceived value, customer service and customer loyalty in the Medical Scheme Industry Category in the South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SA-csi). The scheme also received the highest rating for customer expectations and has the lowest rating in the industry for beneficiary complaints.
👉 Bestmed was ranked number one in the Medical Aid Industry performance category of the 2020 Ask Afrika Orange Index® and was also awarded the Excellence in Creating Access to Quality Healthcare (Organisations) award at the 2020 annual Titanium Awards presented by the Board for Healthcare Fundraisers (BHF).
👉 BestMed recognises that people’s healthcare needs are different, depending on their age, marital status, family size, general health, priorities and budget and keeping this in mind, offers three main medical plan ranges, each with its own unique benefit options to choose from.
👉 They have a solution for you whether you simply only want to pay for hospital expenses or demand a more comprehensive product. The three categories for plans on offer are beaten, pace, and rhythm.
👉 The Beat range provides flexible hospital benefits as well as savings on certain options to cover out-of-hospital expenses. Beat1, 2, and 3 also allow you to reduce your monthly contribution by choosing a Network option.
👉 The Pace range offers more comprehensive in-hospital and out-of-hospital benefits. In addition, these options all have additional savings accounts to cover extensive out-of-hospital expenses.
👉 The Rhythm range consists of Network only options that offer in-hospital and GP benefits.
You might also consider the following options BestMed has to offer:
- ✔️ BestMed Beat 3 Network
- ✔️ BestMed Beat 2 Network
- ✔️ BestMed Beat 1 Network
- ✔️ BestMed Tempo
- ✔️ BestMed Pace 4
- ✔️ BestMed Pace 3
- ✔️ BestMed Pace 2
- ✔️ BestMed Rhythm 2
- ✔️ BestMed Rhythm 1
- ✔️ BestMed Beat 4
- ✔️ BestMed Beat 3
- ✔️ BestMed Beat 2
- ✔️ BestMed Beat 1
Who will benefit from BestMed Medical Scheme?
👉 BestMed offers comprehensive medical cover that is well-suited towards individuals, established families and higher income earners as well as pensioners.
👉 BestMed also operates on a network-based coverage basis, so individuals should first check whether they reside in areas that fall within the pre-selected GP, hospital and specialist network, making it a better option for those residing in urban areas.
Who is Momentum Medical Scheme?
👉 Momentum is a financial services company and provider of healthcare, insurance and investment solutions in SA and provides tailor-made solutions to over 293 000 beneficiaries.
👉 The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) regulates Momentum Medical Scheme, a not-for-profit open medical scheme that is registered and controlled in accordance with the Medical Schemes Act 131 of 1998. The Scheme was founded in 1963 as a cooperative organisation with the primary goal of offering dependable healthcare benefits to its members.
👉 The Scheme aims to strike a balance between the needs of the individual members and those of the combined membership. You get medical aid coverage to match your needs and your budget is packed with added benefits and monthly rewards. As one of the trusted medical aid schemes in South Africa, you can find the most affordable medical aid option to suit your individual or family needs.
👉 Since its inception, Momentum has been offering a secure future for its clients and their loved ones by providing financial advice, supported by innovative product solutions and excellent service.
Momentum Medical Scheme has a Momentum Multiply Rewards Program and also the following medical aid plans:
- ✅ Momentum Summit
- ✅ Momentum Ingwe
- ✅ Momentum Incentive
- ✅ Momentum Extender
- ✅ Momentum Evolve
- ✅ Momentum Custom
Who will benefit from Momentum Medical Scheme?
👉 With Momentum Medical Scheme, you have access to a wide range of medical aid options and industry-leading benefits. Whether you’re a student looking for the most affordable medical aid, a young professional, or a breadwinner who needs extensive cover for your whole family in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which medical aid offers the cheapest medical plan, Bestmed or Momentum Medical Scheme?
Momentum Medical Scheme comes in with its Ingwe plan which is the lowest medical plan at R541.00. The cheapest plan with Bestmed is the Beat1 Network plan at R1 873.00 per month.
Which medical aid, Bestmed or Momentum Medical Scheme are the most popular?
At present Momentum Medical Scheme has over 293 000 members compared to the over 210 000 of Bestmed. However, BestMed offers a wider choice between 13 plan options, whereas Momentum Medical Scheme only offers a choice between six medical plans.
Do Momentum Medical Scheme and Bestmed medical aids offer the option of gap cover?
Yes, both Momentum Medical Scheme and Bestmed provides an option to apply for gap cover, although with Momentum it is covered by another division.
Do Momentum Medical Scheme and Bestmed medical aids have a waiting period?
Yes, both Momentum Medical Scheme and Bestmed have a general three-month waiting period during which you are unable to submit a claim.
Which is the best medical aid between Bestmed and Momentum Medical Scheme?
Bestmed was established in 1964 and since its start-up has won multiple awards that attest to its excellence. Furthermore, they boast one of the lowest beneficiary complaint ratings within their industry. Momentum Medical Scheme also dates back to 1963 – offering affordable medical aid plans and financial advice as well as cutting edge product solutions to their members.