Fedhealth vs. Medihelp
Fedhealth versus Medhihelp 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 Fedhealth and Medhihelp 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: Fedhealth or Medhihelp?
So if you’re ready to go “all in” with Fedhealth versus Medihelp in South Africa, this guide is for you.
👉 Let’s dive right in…
Fedhealth vs. Medihelp
- ✅ Overall Comparison
- ✅ Plan benefits
- ✅ Fedhealth vs Medihelp
- ✅ Which offers more affordable cover – Fedhealth or Medihelp?
- ✅ Do both schemes offer gap cover?
- ✅ Do both schemes offer hospital plans?
- ✅ Who is Fedhealth?
- ✅ Who is Medihelp?
- ✅ FAQ
Overall Comparison
| ✅ Feature | 🥇 Fedhealth | 🥇 MediHelp |
| General comparison | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Number of plans | 8 | 11 |
| Lowest premium | R1 155 (FlexiFED Savvy) | R804 (MedMove Student) |
| Highest premium | R19 393 (maxima PLUS) | R15 486 (MedPlus) |
| Student Plan | No | Yes |
| Gap Cover | No | Yes with another provider |
| Hospital plans | Yes | Yes |
| Maternity benefits | Yes | Yes |
| Number of members | 160 000+ | 220 000+ |
Plan benefits
| ✅ Feature | 🥇 Fedhealth | 🥇 Medihelp |
| Name of Plan | • FlexiFED Savvy • FlexiFED 1 • FlexiFED 2 • FlexiFED 3 • FlexiFED 4 • Maxima EXEC • Maxima PLUS • MyFed | MedMove Student MedVital Elect MedVital MedAdd Elect MedAdd MedSaver MedReach MedPrime Elect MedPrime MedElite MedPlus |
| Price per plan | 🟫 FlexiFED Savvy R1,155 ⬛ MyFED R1,719 – R4,052 (Household income based) 🟪 FlexiFED 1 R3,062 🟪 FlexiFED 1 Elect R2,490 🟧 FlexiFED 2 R4,845 🟧 FlexiFED 2 Grid R4,420 🟧 FlexiFED 2 Elect R3,810 🟦 FlexiFED 3 R5,785 🟦 FlexiFED 3 Grid R5,278 🟦 FlexiFED 3 Elect R4,550 🟩 FlexiFED 4 R7,941 🟩 FlexiFED 4 Grid R7,255 🟩 FlexiFED 4 Elect R6,285 🟫 Maxima EXEC R12,273 🟨 Maxima PLUS R19,393 | MedMove Student: R804 MedVital Elect: R2,412 MedVital: R3,096 MedAdd Elect: R3,186 MedAdd: R4,038 MedSaver: R4,260 MedReach: R3,360 MedPrime Elect: R4,746 MedPrime: R5,790 MedElite: R8,922 MedPlus: R15,486 |
| GP Visits | Network GP | Network and Non Network |
| GP in room visits | Network GP | Network and Non Network |
| Specialist visits | Yes | Yes |
| Acute medication | Yes | Yes |
| Chronic medication | Yes | Yes |
| Basic pathology | Basic from day to day benefits | Yes |
| Basic and emergency dentistry | Basic from day to day benefits | Yes and differs from plan to plan |
| HIV benefit | Yes | Yes |
| Maternity benefit | Yes | Yes |
| Road accident claims | Yes | Will give assistance |
Fedhealth vs Medihelp
Both Fedhealth and Medihelp are well-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 – Fedhealth or Medihelp?
👉 Both medical aids have a plan with fairy low premiums. With Fedhealth’s it is the FlexiFed Savvy plan and with Medihelp it is the MedElect Student, which specifically caters for student. Overall, both Fedhealth and Medihelp offers a good selection of affordable medical aid plans designed for singles, couples, families, and pensioners.
Do both schemes offer gap cover?
👉 Gap coverage is a short-term insurance policy that provides shortfall coverage when doctors and specialists charge fees in excess of those covered by medical assistance. Gap coverage complements your medical aid coverage.
👉 In exchange for a monthly premium, the gap cover provider will compensate you for a portion of the difference between your medical expenses and what your medical insurance would cover. If you use a healthcare provider who is not in your medical plan’s network, you may pay more for private hospital services than your plan would cover.
👉 Fedhealth does not offer Gap Cover options within the medical scheme but advises you to take out gap cover from an independent insurer.
👉 Neither does Medihelp offer direct Gap Cover within the medical scheme but advises you to take out gap cover from an independent insurer. Anyone who is an up to date member of Medihelp and who meets the age requirement can apply for cap cover for Medihelp.
📌 READ more about the best Gap cover in South Africa
Do both schemes offer hospital plans?
👉 Yes, both Fedhealth and Medihelp offer hospital plans. Fedhealth’s hospital plans cover the treatment costs if you’re admitted to hospital such as ward costs, theatre fees, and accounts from other in-hospital providers such as anesthetists or radiologists.
👉 Hospital plans also typically cover emergency medical expenses, whether you are admitted to hospital or not. To qualify as an emergency, the condition or event must be unexpected and need immediate treatment, for example treatment in the casualty ward of a hospital, trauma counselling or emergency medical services.
👉 All Medihelp’s plans give you access to quality care at private hospitals with no overall annual limit. Some Medihelp plans offer you a choice between using any hospital or a network hospital when you join the network version of the plan at a considerably lower premium, which is made possible by negotiating tariffs with efficient networks of hospitals and day procedure facilities.
📌 READ more about the best hospital plans in South Africa
Who is Fedhealth?
👉 Since 1936, South Africans have received health care from Fedhealth. Although a lot has changed over the years, the organisation’s dedication to offering inexpensive, high-quality healthcare has not.
👉 Even today, its medical assistance is still administered by members for members, and it is continually evolving to meet the requirements of those who are concerned about their health while navigating a world that is changing quickly.
👉 Fedhealth has maintained a Global Credit Rating of AA- for 15 consecutive years, and with reserves well over the required 25%, the Scheme’s healthy financial position enables it to take care of its members when needed most. Fedhealth has a solvency of 36,9%
👉 At Fedhealth it is all about customisation and allowing its clients to enjoy medical aid that you can create and control.
👉 Fedhealth is known for its unique benefits paid from Risk to help members’ day-to-day benefits stretch even further. These include upgrades any time of the year within 30 days of a life-changing event, child rates for financially dependent children up to the age of 27, and unlimited network GP visits.
Who will benefit from Fedhealth?
👉 Fedhealth offers comprehensive medical cover that is well-suited towards individuals, families and pensioners. It offers a fair amount of comprehensive plans, with great coverage that is affordable and start a very low plan for individuals just starting out in the professional world.
👉 Fedhealth also works on a network-based coverage basis, so that individuals should first check whether they reside in areas that fall within the pre-selected GP, hospital and specialist network, making it a good option for those residing in urban areas.
Fedhealth offers 8 medical aid plans
- ✅ FlexiFED Savvy
- ✅ MyFED
- ✅ Maxima PLUS
- ✅ Maxima EXEC
- ✅ FlexiFED 4
- ✅ FlexiFED 3
- ✅ FlexiFED 2
- ✅ FlexiFED 1
Who is Medihelp?
👉 Medihelp is the second largest self-administered medical aid in South Africa and has been serving the interests of members for the past 120 years. It has close to 220 000 beneficiaries, and remain one of the top five choices of medical aids in the industry.
👉 The sole objective of Medihelp, as a self-administered medical aid, is to look after its members and provide for their medical need. All South Africans are welcome to apply, whether they are students, newly employed individuals looking to enrol in a medical insurance plan for the first time, independent business owners searching for a trustworthy healthcare provider for their staff, or parents supporting expanding families.
👉 Medihelp’s reserve level is well above the legal requirement and its ability to pay members’ claims is rated amongst the highest in the industry at AA minus by Global Credit Rating (GCR), the largest independent rating company in Africa.
👉 Medihelp is owned by its members and handles administrative duties as processing and paying claims, pre-authorisation and communication with members in-house.
Who will benefit from Medihelp?
All Medihelp 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.
👉 MediHelp has the following 11 plans to choose from
- ✅ MediHelp Medprime
- ✅ MediHelp MedPrime Elect
- ✅ MediHelp MedPlus
- ✅ MediHelp MedElite
- ✅ MediHelp MedVital
- ✅ MediHelp MedVital Elect
- ✅ MediHelp MedSaver
- ✅ MediHelp MedMove
- ✅ MediHelp MedElect
- ✅ MediHelpMedAdd
- ✅ MediHelp MedAdd Elect
Frequently Asked Questions
Which medical aid offers the cheapest medical plan, Fedhealth or Medihelp?
Medihelp offer the cheapest medical plan with its MedMove Student plan at R804 per month. The cheapest medical plan with Fedhealth is its FlexiFED Savvy plan at R1 155 per month.
Which medical aid, Fedhealth or Medihelp are the most popular?
Fedhealth have around 160 000 members compared to Medihelp that boast over 220 000+ members. Fedhealth also offers a choice between eight medical plans and Medihelp offers a choice between 11 medical plans.
Do Fedhealth and Medihelp medical aids offer the option of gap cover?
Neither Fedhealth or Medihelp provide the option of gap cover but advises the members apply for gap cover from an independent insurer.
Do Fedhealth and Medihelp medical aids have a waiting period?
✅ Yes, both Fedhealth and Medihelp have a general three-month waiting period during which you are unable to submit a claim.
Which is the best medical aid between Fedhealth and Medihelp?
Fedhealth, which has been providing health care services since 1936, is well-known for its unique benefits that are paid from Risk in order to stretch the benefits of members. Medihelp, on the other hand must be one of the oldest medical aid schemes in South Africa. It was founded in 1905 as the Civil Service Medical Benefit Association. Today it is one of the largest open medical aids in South Africa. Compare other medical aid schemes in South Africa.
