A hospital plan will cover the cost of medically appropriate treatment and related expenses when a person is hospitalised. In this article, we will take a closer look at the cost of hospital plans in South Africa in 2027.
We will also discuss the reasons why hospital plans are generally more affordable, the level of cover provided by hospital plans and the factors to consider when choosing a hospital plan. Given the current challenging economic climate, South Africans are under tremendous pressure to balance the rising cost of living with their current income. With regard to affordable medical aid cover, members of medical schemes often ask if there are ways to cut costs without compromising their medical aid cover.
Why Are Hospital Plans Generally Cheaper?
Hospital plans are generally cheaper than comprehensive medical aid benefit options. A hospital plan is nonetheless a fully-fledged medical aid benefit option and provides excellent in-hospital cover.
One of the main differences between an affordable hospital plan and a “comprehensive medical aid plan” is the amount of out-of-hospital cover that the two options provide. More comprehensive, or traditional options, usually offer out-of-hospital cover through a member-managed medical savings plan. Members use their savings benefit to pay for out-of-hospital benefits such as doctor visits, medication, optometrist examinations, and the like.
Having a medical scheme that manages your savings account (your own money) on your behalf is however a rather expensive form of saving. It’s your own money, but your medical scheme manages it on your behalf. In addition, medical schemes charge an administration fee of approximately 13%. Therefore, for every R1,000 of savings benefit that is included in your monthly premium, you effectively only get R870 that is yours to use.
In contrast, most hospital plans offer limited out-of-hospital benefits.
Why Would People Consider a Hospital Plan?
The most important consideration is that – in general – there is no difference between the quality of private healthcare between hospital plans and comprehensive medical aid plans. Regardless of what you pay, or which option you are on – you get the same bed and the same quality treatment in a private hospital.
Whether you give birth, or have your tonsils removed, or are in a big car accident, or have a heart attack or stroke – your medical treatment for “the big accident, illness or disease” in a hospital should be more or less the same.
Both plans also cover the standard 26 chronic conditions, such as asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes and the like, more or less in the same way.
Choosing a Hospital Plan
Choosing the right hospital plan can be a difficult decision. There are currently 16 open medical aid schemes in South Africa, each offering their own hospital plan benefit options. Each hospital plan, in turn, offers its own unique basket of benefits at different monthly contributions.
What is Covered by a Hospital Plan?
Hospital plan benefit options provide cover for medically appropriate treatment when a member is admitted to hospital. Hospital and related accounts, such as theatre costs, X-rays, medication, blood tests, blood transfusions, etc., will usually be covered in full.
Doctors’ and specialists’ fees will be reimbursed at the medical scheme rate, i.e. 100% or 200%.
Cost of Hospital Plans in 2027
The table below depicts the monthly contributions of non-income based hospital plans in South Africa (in price order of single adult contributions for 2027) as displayed by Comparemed (a web application designed to generate detailed comparative medical aid quotes). The table also depicts the cost of the respective hospital plans for 2 adults and 2 children. Details include benefit options where members may use any healthcare provider of their choice, or EDO’s.
EDO = Efficiency discount options are hospital plan benefit options whereby members must make use of specific contracted networks of healthcare providers.
Medical Scheme
Hospital Plan
Cost ( R )
1 Adult
Discovery
Active Core
R1.700
Genesis
MED-100
R1,750
Momentum
Evolve
R2,176
Bestmed (EDO)
Beat 1 Network
R2,439
Genesis
MED-200
R2,455
Bonitas
BonEssential Select
R2,526
Medihelp (EDO)
MedVital Elect
R2,568
KeyHealth
Essence
R2,616
Bestmed
Beat 1
R2,712
Discovery (EDO)
Essential Delta Core
R2,894
Bonitas
BonEssential
R3,000
Medihelp
MedVital
R3,300
Discovery (EDO)
Classic Delta Core
R3,374
Sizwe
Access Core
R3,430
Discovery
Coastal Core
R3,540
Momentum (EDO)
Custom: Associated Hospitals,
Chronic: Associated
R3,591
Discovery
Essential Core
R3,622
Bonitas
Hospital Standard
R3,942
Discovery
Classic Core
R4,215
Medshield
MediCore
R4,701
CompCare
HospiCare
R5,965
Medical Scheme
Hospital Plan
Cost ( R )
2 Adults +
2 Children
Discovery
Active Core
R4,250
Genesis
MED-100
R4,590
Bonitas
BonEssential Select
R6,044
Genesis
MED-200
R6,330
Bestmed (EDO)
Beat 1 Network
R6,333
Medihelp (EDO)
MedVital Elect
R6,594
KeyHealth
Essence
R6,596
Bestmed
Beat 1
R7,036
Bonitas
BonEssential
R7,157
Discovery (EDO)
Essential Delta Core
R7,394
Sizwe
Access Core
R7,770
Medihelp
MedVital
R8,100
Momentum
Evolve
R8,704
Discovery (EDO)
Classic Delta Core
R8,733
Momentum (EDO)
Custom: Associated Hospitals,
Chronic: Associated
R8,914
Discovery
Coastal Core
R9,009
Discovery
Essential Core
R9,248
Bonitas
Hospital Standard
R10,258
Medshield
MediCore
R10,848
Discovery
Classic Core
R10,915
CompCare
HospiCare
R16,104
Consider Your Private Healthcare Options
High-cost medial aid benefit options with medical savings account may not necessarily offer better risk benefits. Ultimately, medical scheme cover is there to provide peace of mind and access to funding for the “big ticket” private healthcare costs.
Hospitalisation costs may run into the hundreds of thousands or even millions of Rands. It is therefore important to make sure that you have sufficient risk cover in place (i.e. hospital and related costs). As day-to-day expenses can be managed separately on an as-and-when basis, more and more people are considering good value-for-money hospital plans.
PLEASE NOTE: The information provided herein is for information purposes only and is not intended to flout or in any other way compromise the conditions prescribed in the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act’s General Code of Conduct insofar as comparing different financial products with each other is concerned. Nothing herein contained is intended to be advice and any uncertainty regarding anything said should be referred to an accredited financial advisor.
Join a Genesis Hospital Plan Today!
Was This Article Useful?
Allow us to walk beside you with our affordable hospital plans
