KeyHealth vs. Medshield
Keyhealth Medical Scheme 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 Keyhealth 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: Keyhealthor Medshield?
So if you’re ready to go “all in” with the Keyhealth versus Medshield in South Africa, this guide is for you.
Let’s dive right in…
KeyHealth vs. Medshield Summary
Overall Comparison
| ℹ️ Feature | 🥇 KeyHealth | 🥈 Medshield |
| General comparison | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Number of plans | 6 | 11 |
| Lowest premium | R1 990.00 (Essence) | R1 584.00 (MediCurve) |
| Highest premium | R11 308.00 (Platinum) | 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 | 69 000+ | 250 000 |
Plan benefits
| ℹ️ Feature | 🥇 KeyHealth | 🥈 Medshield |
| Name of Plan | • Essence • Origin • Equilibrium • Silver • Gold • Platinum | • PremiumPlus • MediBonus • MediSaver • MediPlus Prime • MediPlus Compact • MediCore • MediValue Prime • MediValue Compact • MediSwift • MediPhila • MediCurve |
| Price per plan | • Essence: R1 990.00 • Origin: R2 250.00 • Equilibrium: 2 778.00 • Silver: R4 799.00 • Gold: R7 036.00 • Platinum: R11 308.00 | • 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 | 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 on basic dentistry | Yes |
| Basic optometry | Yes | Yes |
| HIV benefit | Yes | Yes |
| Maternity benefit | Yes | Yes |
| Road accident claims | No | Yes |
KeyHealth vs. Medshield
Both KeyHealth and Medshield are known medical aid schemes in South Africa 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 2025.
Which offers more affordable cover – KeyHealth or Medshield?
Medshield has the lowest premium of the two medical aids with its MediCurve plan although the lowest plan that KeyHealth has to offer, Essence, is not much more.
It should also be noted that 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 medical aids offer fairly affordable medical aid plans designed for singles, couples, families, and pensioners.
Do both schemes offer gap cover?
A gap coverage policy is a temporary insurance plan that fills up the financial gaps left when patients visit doctors and specialists who charge more than the patient’s medical aids would pay for. Your medical aid and gap insurance will work together to protect you from financial hardship.
The gap cover provider will reimburse you for a specified percentage of the difference between the full cost of your medical care and the amount your health insurance policy would cover in exchange for a regular premium payment. It is common practice for private hospitals to charge patients more for the identical procedures if they are performed by a healthcare provider who is not included in the medical plan’s network.
Although KeyHealth does not make specific provision for Gap Cover options, it has adopted two approaches to tackle this issue. The first is to keep its products as affordable as possible. Equilibrium includes a savings account which could be used to meet co-payments or day-to-day expenses if necessary.
Medshield recommends that members take out gap cover and members can access gap cover through its brokers.
Do both schemes offer hospital plans?
Yes, both KeyHealth and Medshield offer hospital plans. All six plans offered by KeyHealth include hospital plans to 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. All its hospital plans are subject to Scheme rules, pre-authorization, case management, clinical protocols and the benefit option you have chosen.
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 KeyHealth?
KeyHealth is a well-known medical plan and health insurance company in South Africa. The Scheme, which is managed by PPS Healthcare, places a high value on transparency in the way it presents its health advantages, steering clear of “nice to haves” and emphasising the provision of “pure” medical aid benefits.
KeyHealth Medical Aid, strive to keep its members’ contributions as affordable as possible, throughout all its options, from the most basic to the most comprehensive plan. Members are given fair and reasonable value and cover in return for their monthly contributions.
All KeyHealth plans come with three additional complimentary benefits, namely Easy-ER, Health Booster, and Smart Baby, and all provide limitless coverage for Prescribed Medical Conditions (PMBs) in compliance with South African law. Some exclusions apply based on the chosen plan. The Chronic Disease List is covered by all options.
The most affordable option with Health is Essence. Some exclusions apply, such as day-to-day medical costs, dentistry, prostheses, and hospitalisation benefits for some surgical operations. Disaster and other significant medical expenses caused by accidents (in hospitals) are covered. Essence makes sure that users of this plan have access to basic, necessary medical coverage. The next option, equilibrium, is also reasonably priced, but although daily medical coverage is provided, some hospital benefits are excluded.
With the Silver plan two in-hospital treatment benefits and specialised dentistry are excluded. Gold is the recommended plan which offers comprehensive and complete cover. While member contributions are higher, the benefits are also higher. There are no in-hospital benefit exclusions, and coverage is limitless for both general and specialty dentistry operations.
The Platinum option is at the top of the list. A Threshold Zone that funds extra expenses after the predetermined Self-Payment Gap has been closed is one of the benefits. Other benefits include those for routine, daily expenses. The benefits of this complete choice go beyond the 26 ailments on the Chronic Disease List and cover 29 more chronic conditions.
KeyHealth offers 6 medical aid plans:
- ✅ KeyHealth Essence Medical Aid Plan
- ✅ KeyHealth Origin Medical Aid Plan
- ✅ Keyhealth Equilibrium Medical Aid Plan
- ✅ Keyhealth Silver Medical Aid Plan
- ✅ Keyhealth Gold Medical Aid Plan
- ✅ Keyhealth Platinum Medical Aid Plan
Who will benefit from KeyHealth?
KeyHealth offers a fairly comprehensive medical cover that is well-suited towards individuals, families and pensioners. It offers comprehensive plans, with good coverage that is affordable.
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, KeyHealth or Medshield?
Medshield has the cheapest plan between the two medical aids with its MediCurve plan at R1 584.00 per month. KeyHealth’s cheapest plan is its Essence plan at R1 990.00 per month.
Which medical aid, KeyHealth or Medshield are the most popular?
Medshield boast the most members at 250 000+ compared to KeyHealth with 69 000+ members. Medshield also offers a choice between eleven medical plans whereas KeyHealth offers a choice between six plans.
Do KeyHealth and Medshield medical aids offer the option of gap cover?
KeyHealth, does not make specific provision for gap cover but opts to rather keep its products as affordable as possible. However, it does advise its members to take out gap cover from an independent insurer. Medshield suggests that members apply for gap cover through the schemes brokers.
Do KeyHealth and Medshield medical aids have a waiting period?
Yes, both KeyHealth and Medshield have a three-month waiting period during which you are unable to submit a claim.
Which is the best medical aid between KeyHealth and Medshield?
KeyHealth has been operating since 1968 and has maintained the necessary high membership figures since then. The key to its success has been an unwavering determination to offer its members the best possible value for their hard-earned cash. Medshield has been in operation since 1968 which also makes it an experienced, knowledgeable and reliable medical scheme.
