Medshield Medical Scheme presents a bigger basket of options with even better benefits for 2011
Medshield Medical Scheme, the 4th largest scheme in South Africa, today announces an average rate increase of 9.5%. Since the recent successful transfer of Oxygen Medical Scheme, Medshield has strengthened its position as a prominent industry player and now offers an even broader range of comprehensive products.
Last week, in yet another exciting development for Medshield, the Registrar of the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) approved the transfer of Gen-health Medical Scheme members to Medshield. Following the decision by the CMS to liquidate Gen-health after a period of financial instability, the Council gave the go-ahead for the scheme’s members to be transferred to Medshield, without facing any waiting period. Medshield’s current membership now stands at over 120, 000 principal members.
In operation since 1968, Medshield has extensive experience in the healthcare sector and understands the importance of maintaining member-centric benefits and services. Duduza Khosana, Medshield’s Executive Principal Officer believes this to be a key contributing factor to the scheme’s longevity. She comments, “Medshield takes its members’ and brokers’ views very seriously and this is evident in the valuable enhancements made to the scheme’s offerings over the years. A comprehensive range of inclusive benefits across all options for 2011, such as GP visits, optometry, dentistry and maternity benefits, result in offerings that very few competitors can match.”
For the last few years, Medshield has consistently achieved a Global Credit Rating of AA- for its ability to pay claims – the second highest rating a scheme can achieve. This affirmation of the scheme’s favourable financial position is as a result of a solid solvency ratio – currently exceeding 40% while regulations only require a 25% solvency ratio – and boasting a healthy membership base.
Medshield’s diverse basket of Healthcare Options for 2011 is as follows:
Premium Plus
Premium Plus is a comprehensive option designed for healthy, established families who can manage their own day-to-day expenses by using their Personal Savings Account (PSA), however ensuring that their in-hospital requirements are covered at a higher rate than the Medical Scheme Tariff.
Standard
Standard is designed for active and healthy singles or couples who have a low day-to-day claims expectation and who like to be in control of managing their expenses through a Personal Savings Account (PSA). The option also ensures peace of mind that provides members with access to quality major medical cover.
80% Plan
An option designed for healthy established professionals and families, requiring comprehensive hospital cover, with limited chronic cover, who are willing to pay a co-payment on out-of-hospital expenses themselves.
Core Plus
Core Plus is a hospital option designed for healthy young professionals entering the job market, who have an active lifestyle and would like to ensure that they have comprehensive hospital cover in case of an emergency, paid at a higher rate than the Medical Scheme Tariff.
Essential CareCross
Essential CareCross is an option designed for young healthy individuals who have affordability as a priority without compromising on their required medical cover. Benefits are managed by Medshield’s Preferred Provider, CareCross ensuring that your basic healthcare is taken care of, through the year.
Essential
Essential is an option designed to be perfectly suited for a young healthy family, providing basic primary care to those who have affordability as their number one concern. It also offers an opportunity to self manage day-to-day expenses by using the Personal Savings Account (PSA).
MediValue
MediValue is an option designed for single healthy individuals offering limited major medical cover with stated day-to-day benefits.
MediPlus
MediPlus is Medshield’s prime middle-income option suitable for established professionals with families.
MediBonus
MediBonus is an option designed for established families or established professionals requiring comprehensive hospital cover with limited day-to-day cover.
“With such a diverse offering tailored to a variety of healthcare needs, Medshield Medical Scheme is a highly formidable contender within the medical scheme arena,” comments Khosana. The exciting product offering for 2011 is complimented by Medshield’s efficient administration process. Since moving to self-administration in 2009, which saw the scheme save R25 million in administration fees in the first nine months, Medshield no longer outsources claims and queries to a third party and is therefore able to carefully manage customer service levels. Khosana concludes, “Medshield truly ticks all of the boxes in terms of what a quality, trustworthy and dependable medical scheme should offer.”
