Medimed vs Medshield
Medimed 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 Medimed 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: Medimed or Medshield?
So if you’re ready to go “all in” with the Medimed versus Medshield in South Africa, this guide is for you.
Let’s dive right in…
Overall Comparison
| ✅ Feature | 🥇 Medimed | 🥇 Medshield |
| General comparison | 3/5 | 5/5 |
| Number of plans | 4 | 11 |
| Lowest premium | R1 680.00 (Alpha) | R1 584.00 (MediCurve) |
| Highest premium | R3 980.00 (Medsave Max) | R7 587.00 (MediBonus) |
| Student Plan | No | No |
| Gap Cover | A member can apply with Momentum | Medshield members can access gap cover through their brokers |
| Hospital plans | Yes | Yes |
| Maternity benefits | Yes | Yes |
| Number of members | 6 000+ | 250 000 |
Plan benefits
| ✅ Feature | 🥇 Medimed | 🥇 Medshield |
| Name of Plan | • Alpha • Medisave Essential • Medisave Max • Medisave Standard | • PremiumPlus • MediBonus • MediSaver • MediPlus Prime • MediPlus Compact • MediCore • MediValue Prime • MediValue Compact • MediSwift • MediPhila • MediCurve |
| Price per plan | • 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) | • 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 | Yes |
| HIV benefit | Yes | Yes |
| Maternity benefit | Yes | Yes |
| Road accident claims | Will give assistance | Will give assistance |
Medimed vs Medshield
👉 Both Medimed and Medshield are known as trustworthy 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 – Medimed of Medshield?
👉 Both medical aids offer a low plan that is similar in price. With Medimed it is the Alpha plan and with Medshield it is their MediCurve plan. Medshield does however, offer a wider choice between different medical plans.\
👉 It should also be noted that with Medimed your monthly contributions depend on your income. In addition, 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?
👉 Gap insurance is a temporary insurance policy that provides coverage for any shortfalls incurred when a doctor’s or specialist’s expenses exceed the medical aid’s rates of coverage. Your medical insurance complements your gap insurance.
👉 In exchange for a monthly premium, the gap cover provider will pay you a percentage of the difference between your medical expenses and what your medical insurance would pay. You can pay more for services at private hospitals if you utilize a healthcare practitioner who is not a part of your medical plan’s network.
👉 Medimed offers the option to take out gap cover with Momentum which specifically make provision for clients of Medimed. 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 Medimed and Medshield offer hospital plans. All Medimed’s plans give you access to quality care at private hospitals and the Medisave Max plan has no overall annual limit. Once again clients should bear in mind that Medimed only covers members in the Nelson Mandela Metropolis.
👉 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 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 and pensioners.
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.
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, Medimed or Medshield?
The cheapest medical aids with both these medical schemes are fairly similar. Medimed offers a slightly higher medical plan with its Alpha plan at R1 680.00 per month, whereas Medshield cheapest plan is the MediCurve plan at R1 584.00 per month.
Which is the best medical aid between Medimed and Medshield?
Medimed is a fairly young medical aid and was only founded in 1980 and solely focusses on providing healthcare solutions to members in the Nelson Mandela Metropolis. Medshield has been in operation since 1968 which makes it an experienced, knowledgeable and reliable medical scheme.
Which medical aid, Medimed or Medshield are the most popular?
Medshield boasts membership of over 250 000+ whereas Medimed only boasts members of over 6 000+. Medimed only offers a choice between four medical plans whereas Medshield offers a choice between eleven medical plans.
Do Medimed and Medshield medical aids offer the option of gap cover?
With Medimed, members have the option to apply for gap cover with Momentum. Medshield does not offer the option of gap cover but advices that members apply for gap cover from an independent insurer.
Do Medimed and Medshield medical aids have a waiting period?
Yes, both Medimed and Medshield have a general three-month waiting period during which you are unable to submit a claim.
