 Medical aid may feel like a grudge purchase until you find yourself faced with a health issue, and unexpected and expensive medical or hospital costs. Unfortunately, healthcare inflation continues to outpace general inflation by about 5%. So, while consumers continue to struggle to make ends meet, medical aids need to explore ways to contain costs without compromising the level of healthcare offered to members. 30 Jan 2020 Read more Back pain is a common problem - 80% of us will experience an episode at some point in our lives. It is associated with many factors that vary from person to person but can be caused by an injury, a disc or joint problem, an irritated nerve root or poor posture. The pain might be acute or chronic but living with either can be debilitating. 26 Nov 2019 Read more Private and public healthcare has been in the news lately and will continue to be a topic of discussion due to the Department of Health's proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill, the Health Market Inquiry (HMI) report as well as the current socio-economic landscape. 29 Oct 2019 Read more A growth in membership, an increased emphasis on Managed Care, a range of enhancements for members and added value, are just some of the highlights from the Bonitas 2020 Product Launch. 25 Sep 2019 Read more Honesty is the best policy, even when it comes to filling out your medical aid application forms. The consequences of non-disclosure can be devastating, from the costly repayment of claims to having your membership terminated. 21 Aug 2019 Read more Bonitas announce healthy annual results 16 Jul 2019 Read more Motherhood and pregnancy are times of great anticipation and joy. Each experience is unique but what is probably high on the agenda is that you have a trouble-free pregnancy, a healthy baby and also know and anticipate the costs involved for pre-natal check-ups and the birth. "Choosing the right medical aid is critical in ensuring the healthcare needs of you and your loved ones are taken care of. More so, when you're looking at expanding your family. For those who are on a medical scheme or wish to join one, here are some important points to consider when you fall pregnant," says Lee Callakopen, Principal Officer of Bonitas Medical Fund. 24 Jun 2019 Read more Main sponsor of The Comrades Marathon, Bonitas Medical Fund, has reiterated its support for the 25,000 runners, their families and beneficiary charities at this year's gruelling 'up' race with a number of initiatives to ensure they are there from 'start to finish'. 29 May 2019 Read more South Africa's second-largest open medical scheme, Bonitas Medical Fund, has announced the appointment of a new Principal Officer. Taking up the reigns from 1 May 2019 is Mr Lee R Callakoppen. 7 May 2019 Read more Members of Bonitas Medical Fund will now have access to free lifestyle vouchers as well as discounted offers on gap cover and financial services products through the Fund's new multi-insurer platform. This is not another Loyalty programme. 1 Mar 2019 Read more Medical aid members know that pre-authorisation ahead of a medical procedure is always required but does pre-authorisation mean it's an agreement to pay in full? No, not necessarily. 1 Mar 2019 Read more The BOSASA hearings and the corruption, racketeering and money laundering associated with it since 2000, have again highlighted the culture of fraud, waste and abuse in South Africa. BOSASA is a controversial group of companies on the West Rand of Johannesburg that secured a number of major tenders with the Government over the past decade. 12 Feb 2019 Read more Private medical aid members can breathe a sigh of relief after the budget speech. Treasury has been hinting for a while that they were considering reducing of the medical tax credit to fund the National Health Insurance (NHI), fortunately it remains unchanged for the year ahead. 2 Jan 2019 Read more Going through a divorce can be extremely harrowing and stressful, not just for the couple themselves but also for their children. And, given the divorce statistics released recently by StatsSA, divorce is on the increase. More than 25 390 divorce papers were filed in 2017, four in 10 divorces came from marriages that lasted less than 10 years and 55,6% involved children. 2 Jan 2019 Read more Medical aid terms can be as difficult to decipher as your doctor's handwriting. That's why knowing medical aid speak is essential if you are going to understand your medical cover says Gerhard Van Emmenis, Principal Officer of Bonitas Medical Fund. 5 Nov 2018 Read more Bonitas Medical Fund (the Scheme) reported a solid surplus of R730.20m for 2017, recouping the R16.9m deficit from 2016. Gerhard van Emmenis, Principal Officer of Bonitas, says, "2017 was an exceptional year for us in terms of financial results. This was largely due to several key cost-saving strategies and initiatives implemented during the 2016-2017 period." 25 Jul 2018 Read more Bonitas Medical Fund welcomes the draft amendment Bill to the end that it aims to make healthcare more accessible. 3 Jul 2018 Read more A hundred-million prescriptions are filled for generic medicines in South Africa per annum. This equates to 78% of the generics market opting for a far more cost-effective drug where the pharmacological effects are exactly the same as those of their brand-name counterparts. 29 May 2018 Read more A staggering 450 million people world-wide have varying degrees of mental health problems. When you consider that HIV is considered a pandemic, with 35 million people infected, mental health issues, although not necessarily life-threatening, are a significant problem. 30 Apr 2018 Read more 'South Africa is heading for a disaster if the number of people living with chronic lifestyle diseases does not change.' That's what both the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and the Medical Research Council warned two years ago. The Council described the problem of these non-communicable diseases as an 'emerging epidemic'. 26 Feb 2018 Read more The world of medical schemes in South Africa is a very different one to 25 years ago. There are strict rules and regulations governing the industry, there to protect both the members and the financial sustainability of the scheme. Now is the time of year when medical schemes announce their annual increases and benefit changes. It means people re-evaluate their existing medical cover and opt for new schemes, new plans or join a medical aid for the first time. Gerhard Van Emmenis, Principal Officer of Bonitas Medical Fund, discusses some of the important membership rules and regulations. 26 Oct 2017 Read more As far back as 2013, The Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, warned that a survey by the Human Research Council (HSRC) and The Medical Research Council highlighted that chronic lifestyle diseases in South Africa is an emerging epidemic. 21 Apr 2017 Read more People who are on private medical aids are often unclear as to the difference between the administrator of the scheme and the medical aid scheme, and what the roles and responsibilities are. Gerhard van Emmenis, acting principal officer of Bonitas Medical Fund gives the lowdown on both entities and their role in delivering medical aid to members. 31 Mar 2017 Read more Parenting is a joy but it can also be overwhelming and just a little daunting. There is no degree or diploma, you are simply launched into it and there's a steep learning curve. You instantly have a new life depending on you and, combined with sleep deprivation, the challenges of adjusting to being a parent and wanting to do the best for your child, you need all the help you can get. 30 Jan 2017 Read more |
