Belonging to a medical aid scheme is very important and it is a priority for many families in South Africa. Medical cover will come in very handy when you need sudden medical attention, a scheduled doctor’s visit, or when your children fall ill. However, there are so many medical aid companies available to choose from, and a wealth of plans that are suited for anyone’s needs; making it difficult to decide on the perfect medical aid plan for you and your family.
Generally, there are two ways to go about this: via a broker, or applying to the fund directly, usually via their website. Going through a broker has its benefits; for e.g. you will have someone that can explain all the benefits and costs to you in depth, allowing you to fully understand what each plan offers and how it will benefit you and your family. You will have someone specific to ask about any issues or questions that you may have, and you will get a good overview of the plan you choose. Since there are usually a lot of questions that one will ask when joining a medical aid, it might be a good idea for first-time individuals to make use of a broker to guide them through the process and help them choose the perfect medical aid plan. Medical aid brokers will need to be registered with the Council for Medical Schemes and you can verify this before you choose to work with them. Many people choose to work via a broker in order to have someone to explain all the benefits and costs to them; but many people choose to rather go direct.
If you choose to apply to a medical aid fund directly, you may do so by using various methods; the most popular of which is applying directly to them via their website. Applying online has many benefits, and convenience is the most important of all. You don’t have to make any appointments with a broker, or take off from work to meet with anyone. You can simply apply online at your convenience, 24 hours a day. Your application will be processed and you will be contacted by a representative of your chosen medical aid to finalize any further details or documentation. These online applications usually don’t take that long, and it might even take only a few minutes of your time. The details of all the plans will be available online and you can simply choose the one that you feel will be best for yourself or your family. You can enter the necessary details online, and you will be contacted with the result of your submission. This saves a lot of time and unnecessary paper work, and it’s the best choice for people that prefer to go direct.
Whether you choose to work with a broker or to apply to a fund directly, medical aid cover is a very important part of your daily life and should never be overlooked. With so many plans and providers available, you are sure to find the ideal solution that will work for you and your family.