The Citizen (Gauteng)

Medical aid price hike

DISCOVERY HEALTH: CONTRIBUTI­ONS SET TO INCREASE BY MORE THAN 9%

- Hilton Tarrant Moneyweb

New Vitality Purple sees more moderate increases, and there is a R5 hike for Active.

Discovery Health Medical Scheme has published the 2019 contributi­ons members will pay. The weighted price increase is reportedly 9.2%. In the 2017-18 financial year, contributi­ons stood at 7.9%.

The sharpest increases are at the high end, with contributi­ons on Discovery Health’s executive and classic plans increasing by double digits – 10%.

It is worth mentioning that contributi­ons for children are up by the most percentage-wise on a number of plans. That said, a maximum of three children are counted.

In its plans for lower-income earners (means-tested), KeyCare, income bands have been consolidat­ed. This means potentiall­y large jumps for members in the lowest bands.

Monthly fees for Vitality Health will increase 7% to 9%.

The newly introduced Vitality Purple sees more moderate increases. Vitality Active sees an increase of R5.

Hilton Tarrant works at YFM

The sharpest increases are at the high end, with contributi­ons for children on a number of plans up the most percentage-wise, and potentiall­y large jumps for members in the lowest KeyCare plans because income bands have been consolidat­ed.

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