What does President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a 21-day lockdown mean for Genesis members?
Following the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that South Africa will be placed under a 21-day lockdown period from midnight on Thursday 26 March 2020, Genesis Medical Scheme will do everything possible to support the measures being put in place by our President. This will obviously include protecting our employees and assisting our members who may need urgent medical care during this period.
These are unprecedented times for us all; however, we would like to assure our members that they will continue to enjoy their private healthcare cover as per their selected benefit option and the Rules of the Scheme.
From Friday, 27 March 2020, the following measures will be put in place:
- The majority of our employees will be subject to the lockdown directive. We will however operate with skeleton staff to support our members with urgent enquiries and / or requests only.
- Our call centre and switchboard will NOT be operational.
- Urgent enquiries are to be emailed to genesis@genesismedical.co.za.
- Please bear in mind that, despite our best efforts to respond to members’ enquiries, there will be a delay in the Scheme’s normal turnaround time.
- In the event of any emergency, please go straight to hospital or contact our emergency evacuation provider, ER24 on 0861 43 63 74 for assistance. You must then notify Genesis via email to genesis@genesismedical.co.za on the first working day following such admission to hospital. Remember that in an emergency you must seek admission to the closest hospital, be it public or private.
- Hospital admission reference numbers will be given for emergency procedures. We encourage all our members not to have any elective (non-emergency) procedures done during this period.
- All members are encouraged to go digital first and to make use of the Scheme’s website and smartphone app for the purpose of obtaining general and specific information regarding their membership and benefits. Most information that our members may reasonably require, is available 24/7 on these two platforms. This information includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Website secure member login:
- Scheme Rules
- View access of all your personal information, i.e. member contact details, dependant details, etc.
- View your current monthly contribution
- View outstanding contribution (if any)
- View your available savings / Self Managed Fund (SMF) balance
- View access to your banking details
- Your current claims received for processing (view the claim, treatment date, name of service provider, reference number, claim number, dependant, claimed amount, benefit amount, shortfall, notes, payee, etc.)
- View the full history of your claims previously processed (view the claim, treatment date, name of service provider, reference number, claim number, dependant, claimed amount, benefit amount, shortfall, notes, payee, etc.)
- View all your previous monthly member statements
- View your last three (3) years’ Tax certificates
Smartphone App:
- View your electronic membership card
- View access of all your personal information, i.e. member contact details, dependant details, etc.
- View access to your benefits brochure
- View your available savings / Self Managed Fund (SMF) balance
- Emergency evacuation / transport details with direct call facility to ER24
- View your current claims received for processing (service date, name of service provider, claimed amount, benefit amount)
- Facility to submit your claim(s) directly to the Scheme
- View your three (3) most recent monthly member statements
- View your most recent Tax certificate
- View information relating to hospital admissions
- View answers to members’ most frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- View all important contact numbers and email addresses of the Scheme
It is important to refresh your smartphone app on a regular basis to update your personal information, such as the membership status reflected on the back of your membership card, your savings / SMF balance, claims details, etc.
Important information:
- It is imperative to ensure that your monthly contributions are paid as per your normal payment arrangement with the Scheme, i.e. debit order or direct payment.
- In order to use the secure member login portal on our website, or the smartphone app, you need to have an active online profile. If you have not done so before, please do an online registration now and without further delay. You can use the Scheme’s website or your smartphone app to register your online member profile.
- If you have forgotten your password, or are unable to login, simply select the option to change your password and follow the steps as guided.
- If you live in the Western Cape or Gauteng please do not forget the funding rules that apply to admission to private or non-designated service provider (DSP) hospitals. All necessary information is available on the website and smartphone app.
We do apologise for any inconvenience caused during this very trying time in the history of our nation, but unless we support our Government’s drastic action with immediate effect, millions of South Africans could contract Covid-19 within a very short period of time.
Whilst we are all grappling with the trade-off between limiting the effect of the disease on our health system and the economic and social fallout of the measures it impose, we urge our members not to panic. Your membership and benefits of Genesis Medical Scheme are as in tact as it has always been.
We trust that you and your loved ones will stay healthy and safe during this deeply uncertain time. Remember, our success as a nation now depends on all of us taking collective responsibility for preventing the spread of this virus. We are all in this together.
