Fedhealth vs. Medshield
Fedhealth versus Medshield 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 Medshield 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 Medshield?
So if you’re ready to go “all in” with Fedhealth versus Medshield in South Africa, this guide is for you.
Let’s dive right in…
Overall Comparison
| ✅ Feature | 🥇 Fedhealth | 🥇 Medshield |
| General comparison | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Number of plans | 7 | 11 |
| Lowest premium | R965.00 (FlexiFED Savvy) | R1 584.00 (MediCurve) |
| Highest premium | R14 289.00 (maxima PLUS) | R7 587.00 (MediBonus) |
| Student Plan | No | No |
| Gap Cover | No | Medshield members can access gap cover through their brokers |
| Hospital plans | Yes | Yes |
| Maternity benefits | Yes | Yes |
| Number of members | 200 000+ | 250 000 |
Plan benefits
| ✅ Feature | 🥇 Fedhealth | 🥇 Medshield |
| Name of Plan | • FlexiFED Savvy • FlexiFED 1 • FlexiFED 2 • FlexiFED 3 • FlexiFED 4 • Maxima EXEC • Maxima PLUS | • PremiumPlus • MediBonus • MediSaver • MediPlus Prime • MediPlus Compact • MediCore • MediValue Prime • MediValue Compact • MediSwift • MediPhila • MediCurve |
| 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 | • PremiumPlus: R7 842.00 • MediBonus: R7 587.00 • MediSaver: R4 524.00 • MediPlus Prime: R4 539.00 MediPlus Compact: R4 125.00 • MediCore: R3 474.00 • MediValue Prime: R2 736.00 • MediValue Compact: R2 478.00 • MediSwift: R2 037.00 • MediPhila: R1 851.00 • MediCurve: R1 584.00 |
| 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 Medshield
👉 Both Fedhealth and Medshield 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 option for your healthcare needs in 2024.
Which offers more affordable cover – Fedhealth or Medshield?
👉 Although Fedhealth offers the lowest premium on its FlexiFed Savvy plan, both medical aids offer a choice between a number of plans. It should also be noted that Medshield offers a bigger choice of plans than Fedhealth. Overall, both Fedhealth and Medshield 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 advise you to take out gap cover from an independent insurer.
👉 Medshield recommends that member take out gap cover and members can access gap cover through its brokers.
Do both schemes offer hospital plans?
👉 Yes, both Fedhealth and Medshield 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 of Medshield’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.
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.
Fedhealth offers 8 medical aid plans
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.
Who is Medshield?
👉 Medshield is a well-established medical aid registered in 1968 and, following its merger with Oxygen, covering in excess of 250 000 lives. The Medshield Scheme has a Global Credit rating of AA – and has reserves well in excess of the mandated 25%.
👉 Each of the plans offered by Medshield has advantages that are reasonably priced. They medical aid constantly evaluate and enhance the variety of benefits offered by each option to provide you with what you actually need, namely high-quality healthcare that is reasonably priced and a selection of plans that are tailored to your unique, individual needs.
👉 Medshield boasts a solvency ratio and stable AA- Global Credit rating which is an indication that beneficiaries can rely on it to pay out your claims. As evidence of their dedication to their members, they invite potential clients to check with their healthcare providers about their payment history. For the 12th consecutive year, they have obtained the coveted AA- rating with a stable outlook for their future claim payment performance in recognition of their efforts to make prompt payments.
👉 All the benefit options of plans provide coverage for homes of various income levels, and members even have the choice of controlling their healthcare 24 hours a day using the provided online tools.
You might also like the following plans MedShield has to offer:
- ✅ MedShield MediCurve
- ✅ MedShield PremiumPlus
- ✅ MedShield Value Compact
- ✅ MedShield MediSwift
- ✅ MedShield MediSaver
- ✅ MedShield MediPlus Prime
- ✅ MedShield MediPlus Compact
- ✅ MedShield MediPhila
- ✅ MedShield MediCore
- ✅ MedShield MediBonus
Who will benefit from Medshield?
👉 Medshield is your healthcare Partner for Life with an appropriate product offering for every life stage as the requirements and lifestyle of its members evolve from early adulthood to retirement. Medshield’s benefit options include affordable entry-level options to fully comprehensive medical aid cover for individuals, professional individuals, couples, families and corporate employees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which medical aid offers the cheapest medical plan, Fedhealth or Medshield?
Fedhealth offers the cheapest medical plan priced at R965.00 per month. (FlexiFED Savvy). Medshield’s MediCurve is its cheapest plan at R1 584.00 per month.
How many medical aid plans does Fedhealth offer vs Medshield?
Fedhealth offers a choice between seven medical plans where Medshield offers a choice between eleven medical plans.
Do Fedhealth and Medshield medical aids offer the option of gap cover?
Neither Fedhealth or Medshield offers the option to apply for gap cover but advises the members apply for gap cover from an independent insurer.
Do Fedhealth and Medshield medical aids have a waiting period?
Yes, both Fedhealth and Medshield have a general three-month waiting period during which you are unable to submit a claim.
Does Fedhealth and Medshield offer hospital plans?
Yes, both Fedhealth and Medshield offer hospital plans.
