Medihelp vs. Medimed
💙 Medihelp 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 Medihelp 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: Medihelp or Medimed?
✅ So if you’re ready to go “all in” with Medihelp versus Medimed in South Africa, this guide is for you.
👉 Let’s dive right in…
Overall Comparison
| ✅ Feature | 🥇 Medihelp | 🥇 Medimed |
| General comparison | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Number of plans | 12 | 4 |
| Lowest premium | R750.00 (MedMove Student | R1 750.00 (Medisave Essential) |
| Highest premium | R14 184.00 (MedPlus) | R4 200.00 (Medsave Max) |
| Student Plan | Yes with another provider | A member can apply with Momentum |
| Gap Cover | No | Yes, through Momentum |
| Hospital plans | Yes | Yes |
| Maternity benefits | Yes | Yes |
| Number of members | 200 000+ | 6 000+ |
Plan benefits
| ✅ Feature | 🥇 Medihelp | 🥇 Medimed |
| Name of Plan | • MedMove Student • MedMove! • MedVital! • MedVital Elect • MedAdd Elect • MedAdd • MedSaver • MedElect • MedPrime • MedPrime Elect • MedElite • MedPlus | • Alpha • Medisave Essential • Medisave Max • Medisave Standard |
| Price per plan | • MedMove Student: R750 • MedMove: R1638 • MedVital: R2,880 • MedVital Elect: R2,244 • MedAdd Elect: R2,970 • MedAdd: R3,720 • MedSaver: R3,900 • MedElect: R3,126 • MedPrime: R5,304 • MedPrime Elect: R4,344 • MedElite: R8,172 • MedPlus: R14,184 | • Alpha: R1 820.00 • Medisave Essential: R1 1750.00 • Medisave Max: R4 200.00 • Medisave Standard: R2 450.00 (Price per plan is determined by your income) |
| GP Visits | Network and Non Network | Yes |
| GP in room visits | Network and Non Network | 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 | Yes and differs from plan to plan | Yes |
| HIV benefit | Yes | Yes |
| Maternity benefit | Yes | Yes |
| Road accident claims | Will give assistance | Will give assistance |
Medihelp vs. Medimed
👉 Both Medihelp and Medimed are popular and 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 2025.
Which offers more affordable cover – Medihelp or Medimed?
👉 Medihelp offers the lowest premium on its MedElect Student and MedMove! plans and offers a bigger selection of plans.
👉 Medimed only offers a choice between four plans and the price you pay 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.
Do both schemes offer gap cover?
👉 A gap coverage policy is a short-term insurance plan that covers a deficit if people see doctors and specialists who charge more than their medical aids. Medical help and gap cover, cover you.
👉 For a monthly charge, your gap cover provider will pay you a percentage of the difference between the total cost of your medical care and the amount your health insurance policy would cover. If you use a non-network doctor, you’ll likely pay more at a private hospital than your plan would cover.
👉 Medihelp does not offer direct Gap Cover within the medical scheme but advise 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.
👉 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 Medihelp and Medimed offer hospital plans. All nine the plans Medihelp offer 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.
👉 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 Medihelp?
👉 Medihelp is the second largest self-administered medical aid in South Africa and has been serving the interests of members for the past 117 years. It has close to 200 000 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:
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 hospitalization 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. It makes provision for students, singles, couples, families and pensioners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which medical aid offers the cheapest medical plan, Medihelp or Medimed?
Medihelp offers the cheapest medical plan with its MedMove Student plan at R750.00 per month, which specifically caters for students. Medimed’s cheapest medical plan is the Medisave Essential plan at R1 750.00 per month.
Which medical aid, Medihelp or Medimed are the most popular?
Medihelp boasts membership of over 200 000 whereas Medimed only have around 6 000+ members. Medihelp also offers a choice between nine medical plans whereas Medimed only offers a choice between four medical plans.
Do Medihelp and Medimed medical aids offer the option of gap cover?
Medihelp does not provide the option of gap cover but advises the members apply for gap cover from an independent insurer. Medimed offers members the option to apply for gap cover with Momentum.
Do Medihelp and Medimed medical aids have a waiting period?
Yes, both Medihelp and Medimed have a general three-month waiting period during which you are unable to submit a claim.
