Why medical aid is a must
None of us can predict what lies ahead. Here is why medical aid is a must for maintaining your health and well-being.
KeyHealth Medical Scheme advised that, although we may be tempted to ditch those grudge payments we feel obliged to pay, we need to resist the urge to splurge on superficial services and make sure we have a comprehensive medical aid in place.
According to Barry Kruger, Chief Executive Officer of KeyHealth Medical Scheme, “While it might make sense, on the spur of the moment, to free up funds for life’s little indulgences, you’ll actually be doing yourself and your family immense harm.”
He said medical aid is exactly that – aid when you need it most, when your health is compromised and you’re vulnerable, when you’re too ill to cover those month-end bills, or you’re unable to bring home a regular pay cheque. But medical aid is more than that – it provides peace of mind and the knowledge that, come ill-health or accident, your medical bills will be taken care of.
“In fact, if you have no medical aid cover, the added anxiety you experience as a result of this may just compromise your immunity and push up those cortisol levels, contributing to stress-induced illnesses. Extra stress and a compromised immune system feed into our daily relationships and impair our judgement. So, there’s a very real knock-on effect when you opt to go without cover.”
And if you’re still in doubt and would prefer cash in hand to cover for the future, the medical statistics speak volumes:
• The average private hospital often requires an upfront deposit of R3 000 to R15 000, depending on the medical condition. For bypass surgery, a cash deposit of R50 000 is required.
• A hospital bed in an average private hospital costs between R1 200 to R2 000 per day, for a bed and meals only. This excludes consultation fees, medication, disposable items, specialist physician fees (such as a surgeon or anaesthetist), specialised tests (such as blood tests, CT scans, MRIs and ultrasounds).
• A heart attack can run up a bill of R200 000 in just 10 days at an average private hospital.
Barry went on to say: “Faced with the facts, it makes no sense to sacrifice cover for cash, especially when you’re faced with a medical emergency.”
(Source: Private Hospitals for Non-Medical Aid Patients: Costs and Care, 2107. www.vitacare.co.za)
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