Medical aids will not cover certain procedures, particularly cosmetic surgery and weight loss procedures. Other non-essential medical services like infertility procedures and LASIK may not be covered in full by medical aids, with many schemes now covering any part of the costs. A medical loan may be your only option should you not have the cash in hand to pay for these procedures.
A hospital plan is medical aid cover that provides benefits for in-hospital (inpatient) visits and procedures. Most medical aid hospital plans also provide chronic medication cover. Private health care is expensive and hospital costs are staggering should you not have medical aid cover. A hospital plan is not a complete medical aid with day-to-day cover and out-of-hospital benefits but it is a cost-effective option for medical care should you require hospitalisation.
What is a Medical Aid Hospital Plan?
A hospital plan is a form of medical aid cover that provides benefits in the event that you are hospitalised. Medical aid hospital plans will pay for the doctor’s consultation fees, procedure costs, investigations and tests, medicines and your hospital stay.
Continue reading
LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomilieusis and is a popular form of refractive surgery where a laser is used to reshape the cornea. In a person who has vision problems, like short-sightedness (myopia), far-sightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism, the shape of the eye, cornea and even the lens play a part in incorrectly focusing images onto the retina – this is the area at the back of the eye, where the light is transferred into nerve signals and comprehended by the brain. LASIK works to correct this by reshaping the cornea.
This allows a person who undergoes LASIK to stop using eye glasses (spectacles) or contact lens. The cosmetic appeal of LASIK is obvious but it is not an essential procedure. You can do without LASIK and continue using your glasses or contact lens.
Continue reading
As medical aids in South Africa tighten their belts, many new policies will be implemented that may upset some of its members. The GP-specialist referral system is one of those policies as many medical aids now restrict their members from visiting a medical specialist directly without a referral from their GP. Despite objections from medical aid members, many schemes are forced to implement this system not only for monetary reasons but also to offer the patient a complete managed healthcare service.
What is a dermatologist?
Dermatology is the branch of medicine that deals with the skin, related diseases and skin care. A dermatologist is a medical doctor who has specialised in the field of dermatology for several years after completing their medical training. In South Africa, strict standards of training are maintained to ensure that all dermatologists within the country provide a similar service.
Continue reading
Paternity testing is the process of using DNA to determine whether a man is the biological father of a child or not. DNA is the genetic ‘fingerprint’ which is unique to each person and it can almost conclusively determine the paternity of a child. The availability of DNA testing services in South Africa now allows you to take DNA samples at home and submit it to a laboratory for verification of paternity.
The accuracy of paternity testing is almost 100% provided that samples were extracted correctly, handled appropriately and tested properly in a suitable facility.
