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When that medical aid debit order comes off each month, it stings.

Throw in a little gap cover and the damage is really done.

There is peace of mind in knowing that should something go wrong, you’re going to receive hospital care that shouldn’t leave you bankrupt, but not all medical aids are created equal.

According to Consulta’s latest South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SAcsi) for the local medical aid industry, the industry par customer satisfaction rating is 73,5.

That’s a sharp decline on previous years, reports BusinessTech:

The data is based on a poll of 1,950 medical scheme members during the first half of 2021, with the country’s six largest medical schemes the main focus of the survey…

The least satisfied customers remain those with low to minimal benefit utilisation and who face co-payments and out-of-pocket expenses on day-to-day primary healthcare needs and chronic medication.

Of the six medical schemes surveyed, Bestmed came out trumps.

Conversely, it wasn’t a particularly good showing for Momentum or GEMS (Government Employees Medical Scheme):

• Bestmed – 76,7
• Bonitas – 73,7
• Discovery – 73,7
• Industry par – 73,5
• Medihelp – 72,3
• Momentum – 69,9
• GEMS – 69,4

In these – wait for it – trying, unprecedented times, Ineke Prinsloo, head of customer insights at Consulta, says we will likely see a shift from comprehensive plans to more basic, lower cost-benefit plans.

We could also see some switching between medical schemes, as those with better basic plan offerings become more attractive.

“This trend of downgrading – or opting out – is already putting the funding model of medical schemes under pressure. Medical schemes operate on the principle of ‘social solidarity’ where all members within a scheme contribute equally to a pool of funds, whether young and healthy or elderly and sickly, expecting that they will all derive equal utility value from the scheme.

“The latest index shows that the healthy and younger members with lower or even minimal benefit utilisation are least satisfied and loyal.”

That’s it, blame the young ‘uns.

Probably all that smashed avo on toast they’re eating.

Prinsloo went on to say that even with the annual medical scheme contribution increases, in reality, the benefits for members are actually decreasing.

Great – now that debit order in the next few days will sting even worse.

[source:bustech]