Important terminology

This means that Genesis will reimburse the costs for treatment in accordance with the Scheme Rules. The hospital costs will be reimbursed at the scale of benefits (which usually means at the rate at which the hospitals charge the Scheme) and the doctor and other service provider costs will be reimbursed in accordance with the Scheme Rules applicable to the benefit option that the member has chosen. Service providers may charge more than the reimbursement rate applicable to the member’s benefit option. It is important to remember that doctors may not be employed by private hospitals and so they charge a fee separate from that of the hospital. The position in public hospitals is different as the law allows the State to employ doctors. 

The fact that the Scheme issues a hospital admission reference number for an intended treatment and / or procedure(s) is not a guarantee of payment or reimbursement of the costs by Genesis. The reimbursement of all claims is always subject to adjudication and audit in accordance with the benefits provided in the Scheme Rules.

All consultations, procedures and/or special investigations were done on the pre-operative day and for which a hospital facility is not necessary will, at the Scheme’s discretion, be reimbursed from the member’s available SMF account (if available) or be for the member’s personal account.

Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) as prescribed in the Medical Schemes Act will be reimbursed as prescribed in the Act.

Means a child (natural child, stepchild, legally adopted child or a child placed in the legal custody of the member of his / her spouse or partner) who is under the age of twenty one (21) years and who is registered as a child dependant on the Scheme.

Means a period of up to twelve (12) months calculated from the date of commencement of membership of the Scheme during which time a beneficiary is not entitled to claim benefits in respect of the specified condition(s) for which medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment was recommended / received. 

During this waiting period, members have to pay their normal monthly contributions and any medical costs associated with the pre-existing health condition(s), as specified when they join, will be excluded during the first 12 months of membership. All such costs will be for the member’s own pocket, except in certain instances with claims relating to PMBs and in which instance the treatment and / or service have to be obtained from any public or state hospital in South Africa and the Uniform Patient Fee Schedule (UPFS) tariff will apply.

Means the sudden and, at the time unexpected onset of a health condition that requires immediate medical or surgical treatment, where failure to provide such treatment would result in serious impairment of bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of a bodily organ or part, or would place the person’s life in serious jeopardy. It is important to remember that the condition must require “immediate” life-saving treatment and not “urgent” treatment.

Means expenses that are incurred in respect of certain conditions, procedures and services (listed in Annexure C of the Scheme Rules) that will not be covered by the Scheme, unless expressly stated to the contrary in the Rules / Annexures / Appendices, or as otherwise determined by the Board. Self Managed Fund (SMF) facilities, where applicable and to the extent available, may be used to cover expenses where indicated. Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with these exclusions in the Rules. 

This means a period of up to three (3) months calculated from the date of commencement of membership of the Scheme during which time a beneficiary is not entitled to claim any benefits. 

During this period, members have to pay their normal monthly contributions but are not entitled to claim any benefits whatsoever, except in certain instances with claims relating to PMBs and in which instance the treatment and/or service have to be obtained from any public or state hospital in South Africa and the Uniform Patient Fee Schedule (UPFS) tariff will apply.

Means any person who, at the date of application for membership, is thirty five (35) years of age or older. It excludes any person who was a member of a medical scheme prior to 1 April 2001 and who has been without a break in cover exceeding 3 consecutive months since that date.

• rational or reasonable and supported by sound scientific evidence; and
• cost-effective in relation to available alternatives; and
• not principally selected for consideration of comfort or convenience; and
• in accordance with generally accepted guidelines and protocols of medical practice;
• consistent with the diagnosis or condition; and
• appropriate to meet the health care needs of the beneficiary.

This means any person who is admitted as a member of Genesis and who contributes to the Scheme in order to qualify for the benefits in terms of the Rules. It does not include a dependant.

Means the member and all his / her registered dependants.

Means the benefits in respect of relevant health services as prescribed by the Minister of Health in terms of the Medical Schemes Act. 

Genesis covers all approved conditions, including PMBs, in private hospitals, where the benefits and limits, as set out in the Rules, apply. Hospital accounts, including treatment for PMBs, will usually be paid in full in terms of tariff agreements with the hospital. In private hospitals, the charges of attending doctors / specialists and other healthcare service providers, even for PMBs, will be reimbursed at 100% or 200% of the Scheme Tariff, depending which benefit option you are on.

This funding applies to all claims for treatment in private hospitals, even if the condition is listed as a PMB. Shortfalls relating to treatment received in private hospitals usually pertain to charges for attending doctors / specialists if they charge more than 100% or 200% of the Scheme Tariff. To this end, should your claim be listed as a PMB and you want it to be paid according to the law as provided for in section 29(1)(p) of the Medical Schemes Act (“paid in full subject to PMB level of care”), then treatment must be obtained from any public or state hospital in South Africa and the Uniform Patient Fee Schedule (UPFS) tariff will apply. In short, PMB treatment in private hospitals is reimbursed in terms of the Rules where limits may apply. PMB treatment in public or state hospitals will be reimbursed subject to PMB level of care as prescribed in the Medical Schemes Act. This means that you must receive the same entitlement to treatment that applies to a public or state hospital patient as set out in the regulations to the Act.

This means that, when you join Genesis during the financial year (e.g. not in January), certain stated benefits, such as the Self Managed Fund (SMF), in-hospital dental treatment, internal medical/surgical appliances or prosthetics, etc., will be pro-rated from the date of commencement of membership to the end of that year. 

An example of this is your SMF benefit. If you join the Scheme on 1 July, you will effectively have half of the annual SMF benefit.

This means the price at which a service provider will supply a clinically appropriate drug in terms of the formulary in use by the Scheme.

Means the terms and conditions of a medical scheme under which the Registrar of Medical Schemes registers a medical scheme. The Rules of a scheme determine how a scheme must conduct its business in line with the provisions of the Medical Scheme Act, as well as the scope and level of benefits that are available to the beneficiaries of a scheme in respect of its various registered benefit options.

Also referred to as the “scheme tariff”, means the schedule of tariffs in respect of relevant health services determined by Genesis from time to time, or the fee determined in terms of any agreement between the Scheme and a service provider or group of providers in respect of the payment of relevant health services.

Unless expressly stated to the contrary, members on the MED-200 Plus benefit option may use their SMF benefit to pay for their and / or their registered dependants’ day-to-day medical expenses.

At the beginning of each three months period in any financial year, the Scheme will make available a SMF benefit not exceeding three times the monthly SMF contribution that is included in your monthly contribution. In addition, any amount unused from a previous three month period in the same financial year, will be added to your available SMF balance. 

The SMF benefit of those members joining the Scheme during a financial year will be prorated to the end of the applicable three month period of that financial year.

At the end of each financial year, any unused balance in the SMF will be forfeit to the Scheme after first settling any qualifying expenditure, relating to treatment/service rendered in the particular year, submitted to the Scheme within four (4) months after that particular financial year-end.