Fedhealth vs. Medimed
Fedhealth versus Medimed was 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 MediMed 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 Medimed?
So if you’re ready to go “all in” with Fedhealth versus Medimed in South Africa, this guide is for you.
Let’s dive right in…
Overall Comparison
| ✅ Feature | 🥇 Fedhealth | 🥇 MediMed |
| General comparison | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Number of plans | 7 | 4 |
| Lowest premium | R965.00 (FlexiFED Savvy) | R1 680.00 (Alpha) |
| Highest premium | R14 289.00 (maxima PLUS) | R3 980.00 (Medsave Max) |
| Student Plan | No | No |
| Gap Cover | No | No |
| Hospital plans | Yes | Yes |
| Maternity benefits | Yes | Yes |
| Number of members | 200 000+ | 6 000+ |
Plan benefits
| ✅ Feature | 🥇 Fedhealth | 🥇 Medimed |
| Name of Plan | • FlexiFED Savvy • FlexiFED 1 • FlexiFED 2 • FlexiFED 3 • FlexiFED 4 • Maxima EXEC • Maxima PLUS | • Alpha • Medisave Essential • Medisave Max • Medisave Standard |
| Price per plan | • FlexiFED Savvy: R965.00 • FlexiFED 1: R1 716.00 • FlexiFED 2: R2 491.00 • FlexiFED 3: R2 844.00 • FlexiFED 4: R3 805.00 • Maxima EXEC: R8 456.00 • Maxima PLUS: R14 289.00 | • Alpha: R1 680.00 • Medisave Essential: R1 600.00 • Medisave Max: R3 980.00 • Medisave Standard: • R2 300.00 (Price per plan is determined by your income) |
| GP Visits | Network GP | Yes |
| GP in room visits | Network GP | Yes |
| 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 |
| HIV benefit | Yes | Yes |
| Maternity benefit | Yes | Yes |
| Road accident claims | Yes | Yes |
Fedhealth vs Medimed
👉 Both Fedhealth and Medimed are known reputable 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 option for your healthcare needs in 2024.
Which offers more affordable cover – Fedhealth or Medimed?
👉 Although Fedhealth offers the lowest premium on its FlexiFed Savvy plan, it also offers a bigger choice between a number of medical plans. Medimed only offers a choice between four plans and the monthly contribution you have to make 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.
👉 Overall, both Fedhealth and Medihelp offer 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 advise you to take out gap cover from an independent insurer.
👉 Medimed offers the option to take out gap cover with Momentum which specifically make provision for clients of Medimed.
Do both schemes offer hospital plans?
👉 Yes, both Fedhealth and Medimed 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 Medimed’s plans give you access to quality care at private hospitals and the Medisave Max plan has no overall annual limit.
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 14 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.
👉 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 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:
Who is Medimed?
👉 The Medimed Medical Aid, founded in 1980, focuses on providing healthcare solutions to members in the Nelson Mandela Metropolis. As of the end of 2012, the scheme had just over 5,500 members and reserves of more than R124 million.
👉 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 hospitalisation 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:
Who will benefit from Medimed?
👉 All Medimed’s plans are designed to provide solid cover for what is considered essential to preserve and protect your health. There are 4 plans available that will benefit individuals, couples and families.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which medical aid offers the cheapest medical plan, Fedhealth or Medimed?
Fedhealth offers the cheapest medical plan between the two medical aids with its FlexiFED Savvy plan at R965.00 per month. Medimed’s Alpha plan is its cheapest plan at R1 680.00 per month.
Which medical aid, Fedhealth or Medimed are the most popular?
Fedhealth boasts around 200 000+ members, whereas Medimed has around 6 000+ members. Fedhealth also offers a choice between seven medical plans and Medimed only offers a choice between four medical plans.
Do Fedhealth and Medimed medical aids offer the option of gap cover?
Fedhealth does not provide the option of gap cover but advises the members apply for gap cover from an independent insurer. With Medimed, members have the option to apply for gap cover with Momentum.
Do Fedhealth and Medimed medical aids have a waiting period?
Yes, both Fedhealth 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 Fedhealth and Medimed?
Fedhealth, has been around since 1936 providing health and is is well-known for its unique benefits that are paid from Risk. This helps members to stretch their daily benefits even further. Medimed, a relatively young medical aid that was founded only in 1980, focuses solely on providing healthcare to its members in Nelson Mandela Petropolis.
