Deciding on whether to opt for full (comprehensive) medical aid cover or a hospital plan only, depends largely on the individual and one’s budget. A hospital plan is more affordable and offers protection for the most expensive of services – hospital care. However, one’s medical needs may not require hospitalisation and can still be costly to the point that it can be unaffordable. In this respect, comprehensive cover or full medical aid cover offers the best of both worlds. Fortunately recent changes in private healthcare legislation has now offered the consumer, even those without full medical aid cover, the protection for certain life-threatening chronic ailments.
Many medical aids now offer a medical savings option on some plans which fund day-to-day medical expenses but can also be used to supplement any in-hospital costs that are not covered by your medical aid. Unlike the predefined day-to-day limits or insured out-of-hospital benefit, a medical savings account does not expire at the end of the year and can be carried over to the next year of cover.
