Medihelp announces 8.9% increase for 2012

Anton Rijnen, CEO of Medihelp

Medihelp, South Africa’s third-largest open medical scheme announced an average increase of 8.9% for its 2012 product range in Midrand this morning.

The increase is coupled with various enhancements to its product range, including a HPV vaccination benefit against cervical cancer as part of the Scheme’s preventative care benefit package.

In addition to the preventative care benefits Medihelp has increased its benefit limits on the majority of its options and has decreased its co-payments on hospitalisation and endoscopic procedures with respect to its Dimension range of products.

Anton Rijnen, CEO of Medihelp says the Scheme will continue with its current seven benefit options in 2012, but has added substantial value with the various enhancements. “We are continuing our strong focus on preventative care with the cervical cancer vaccination benefit for females between the ages of 10- and 26 years. In the same vain we are offering tetanus vaccinations for all beneficiaries as a preventative care benefit,” he says.

Rijnen believes the Scheme’s overall offering for 2012 will be competitive. “Our average increase is in line with that of the industry and our range of benefit options offer true value for money.

As a Scheme we have been performing well over the past three years with rapid membership growth, a stable solvency ratio above 25%, and an AA- (AA minus) rating from Global Credit Rating for our claims-paying ability,” he says.

“For us, long term sustainability remains the key. With 106 years’ experience in the industry, Medihelp has a proven track record of sustainability and excellent client service and remains one of the leading schemes in the country.

The challenge lies in sustaining our recent positive growth through effective risk management, and ensuring the continued performance and competitiveness of our product range in the market. It is of particular importance to ensure financial stability in an environment typified by constant change,” he says.

Medihelp, Suid-Afrika se derde grootste oop mediese skema, het vanoggend in Midrand ’n gemiddelde ledegeldstyging van 8,9% vir sy 2012-produkreeks aangekondig.

Dié styging val saam met verskeie verbeterings in die Skema se produkreeks, insluitend voordele vir die MPV-vaksine teen servikskanker as deel van die voordele vir voorkomende sorg.

Buiten die verbeterde voordele vir voorkomende sorg het Medihelp ook die beskikbare voordeelbedrae vir die meeste opsies verhoog en is bybetalings op hospitalisasie en endoskopiese prosedures in die Dimension-reeks verlaag.

Anton Rijnen, Hoofbeampte van Medihelp, sê die Skema sal in 2012 steeds sewe voordele-opsies bied, maar met aansienlike waarde wat deur die onderskeie verbeterings toegevoeg word. “Ons fokus steeds sterk op voorkomende sorg, met die byvoeging van voordele vir die servikskankervaksine vir vroue tussen die ouderdom van 10 en 26 jaar. In aansluiting hierby bied ons ook voordele vir die tetanusvaksine vir alle bevoordeeldes as deel van die voordele vir voorkomende sorg,” sê hy.

Rijnen glo dat die Skema se produkte vir 2012 in die algemeen mededingend sal wees. “Ons gemiddelde ledegeldstyging stem ooreen met dié in die bedryf en ons reeks voordele-opsies bied werklik waarde vir geld.

Ons het as ’n skema baie goed presteer oor die afgelope drie jaar, met uitsonderlike groei in ledetal, ’n stabiele solvensieverhouding van meer as 25% en ons eisebetalingsvermoë wat deur Global Credit Rating op AA- (AA minus) gegradeer is,” sê hy.

“Vir ons bly volhoubaarheid in die lang termyn van sleutelbelang. Met 106 jaar ervaring in die bedryf het Medihelp ’n uitstekend prestasierekord op die gebied van volhoubaarheid en uitnemende kliëntediens en is ons steeds een van die voorste skemas in die land.

Die uitdaging lê daarin om ons positiewe groei oor die afgelope paar jaar met behulp van doeltreffende risikobestuur voort te sit, en sodoende ons produkreeks se voortgesette prestasie en mededingendheid in die mark te verseker. Dis veral belangrik om ons finansiële stabiliteit te verseker in ’n omgewing wat deur konstante verandering gekenmerk word,” sê hy.