Medshield vs Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund
Medshield versus Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund 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 Medshield and Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund 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: Medshield or Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund?
So if you’re ready to go “all in” with Medshield versus Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund in South Africa, this guide is for you.
Let’s dive right in…
Medshield vs Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund Summary
Overall Comparison
ℹ️ Feature | 🥇 Medshield | 🥈 Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund |
General comparison | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Number of plans | 11 | 14 |
Lowest premium | R1 584.00 (MediCurve) | R1 870.00 (Essential Copper) |
Highest premium | R7 587.00 (MediBonus) | R8 415.00 (Titanium Executive) |
Student Plan | No | No |
Gap Cover | Medshield members can access gap cover through their brokers | Yes |
Hospital plans | Yes | Yes |
Maternity benefits | Yes | Yes |
Number of members | 250 000 | 172 000 |
Plan benefits
ℹ️ Feature | 🥇 Medshield | 🥈 Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund |
Name of Plan | • PremiumPlus • MediBonus • MediSaver • MediPlus Prime • MediPlus Compact • MediCore • MediValue Prime • MediValue Compact • MediSwift • MediPhila • MediCurve | • Essential Copper (3X) • Access Core • Access Saver 25 • Silver Hospital • Gold Ascend • Gold Ascend EDO • Value • Value Core EDO • Plus • Platinum Enhanced • Platinum Enhanced EDO • Titanium Executive |
Price per plan | • 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 | • Essential copper: R1 870.00 – R2 839.00 (depending on your income) • Access Core: R2 418.00 • Access Saver 25: R3 092.00 • Silver Hospital: TBC • Gold Ascend: R3 418.00 • Gold Ascend EDO: R3 250.00 • Value: R4 401.00 • Value Core EDO: R4 051.00 • Plus: R7 227.00 • Platinum Enhanced: R4 747.00 • Platinum Enhanced EDO: R4 511 • Titanium Executive: R8 415.00 |
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 with pre-authorization |
Basic optometry | Yes | Yes depending on the plan you choose |
HIV benefit | Yes | Yes |
Maternity benefit | Yes | Yes |
Road accident claims | No | No |
Medshield vs Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund
Both Medshield and Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund 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 2024.
Which offers more affordable cover – Medshield or Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund?
Both these medical aids offer a plan that compare very similar with each other and are also the lowest plan on offer. With Medshield it is the MediCurve plan and with Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund it is the Essential Copper plan.
Clients should also keep in mind that Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund only except clients for the Black population in South Africa. Overall, both medical aids offer fairly affordable medical aid plans designed for singles, couples, families, and pensioners.
Do both schemes offer gap cover?
When patients see doctors and specialists who charge more than the patient’s medical aids would cover, financial gaps are left. A gap coverage policy is a short-term insurance plan that fills those spaces. Together, your medical insurance and gap insurance will safeguard you from unexpected expenses.
In exchange for a regular premium payment, the gap cover provider will compensate you for a predetermined portion of the difference between the total cost of your medical care and what your health insurance policy would cover. Private hospitals frequently charge patients more for the same operations when they are handled by a doctor who is not a part of the medical plan’s network.
Medshield recommends that members take out gap cover and members can access gap cover through its brokers. Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund does not make provision for gap cover.
Do both schemes offer hospital plans?
Yes, both Medshield and Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund offer hospital plans. 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.
All of Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund’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.
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.
You might also like the following plans MedShield has to offer:
Who is Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund?
Sizwe Medical Fund was founded in 1978. The Fund is essentially a South African company that in many ways mirrors a South African story. Hosmed Medical Scheme was founded in 1998. The two medical aids merged to form Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund.
The Group’s goals in creating the Fund were to lead the black people in healthcare issues and to offer medical aid coverage for blacks. Black specialists can now launch their own private practises because to this. Additionally, it allowed black private patients and their doctors access to pricey drugs, X-rays, and other investigations that were beyond of reach for almost everyone without medical aid coverage.
Sizwe Hosmed Medical funds’ footprint stretches nationwide and itis accepted by all service providers. It guarantees unlimited hospitalisation on all options for PMB conditions. The collective value of Hosmed day-to-day benefits per option compares well with the rest of the industry.
It offers optometry, dentistry, pathology and radiology benefits per person, no matter how big your family is. Additionally, it includes a wellness benefit for all beneficiaries on all options as well as access to a 24-hour call centre, including telephonic nurse advice emergency and nonemergency transfer.
Overall the scheme offers a traditional, sound healthcare solution for all black South Africans.
Who will benefit from Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund?
With Sizwe Hosmed Medical Fund, you have access to a wide range of medical aid options and industry-leading benefits for individuals as well as the whole family.
FAQ
Can a medical aid refuse to pay out a claim?
A medical aid cannot refuse treatment, but they can, depending on the terms of your plan, refuse to pay for it.
What is medical aid?
The costs of the members’ medical care, including hospitalisation, treatment, and medication, are paid for by their medical insurance. These expenses are covered in accordance with the regulations of the medical scheme as well as the type of medical assistance plan that the member subscribes to.
Is Gap cover tax deductible South Africa?
Because Gap Cover plans are considered to be short-term insurance, the premiums paid for them cannot be deducted from an individual’s taxable income. On the other hand, medical aids are obligated to deliver tax certificates to taxpayers on an annual basis.
Does Gap cover, cover dentistry?
No, it does not. You are required to obtain Dentistry Gap Cover, which is a health insurance plan that offers a method that is both affordable and efficient for meeting your requirements for routine dental care. This cutting-edge insurance policy allots a fixed sum to cover dental costs associated with disease, accidents, illness-related emergencies, and routine care.
Is medical aid paid in advance?
After you have sent in an application for membership, the medical aid will send you a quote outlining the terms of your membership, which will include your monthly contribution as well as any waiting periods that may apply. The payment for the monthly fee is made in advance.