Western Cape Business 2018 edition

FOCUS
Member-oriented scheme
makes medical aid affordable.
Selfmed Medical Scheme is one of the oldest medical schemes
in South Africa, having been established more than 50 years ago.
Affordability is a
key component of
Selfmed's offering.
As Christo Becker,
Principal Officer of
Selfmed, says, “We
pride ourselves in
bringing affordable
options to
the South African
market and making
medical aid
Christo Becker
more accessible.”
Selfmed has six
medical aid options:
• SelfNET Essential: an entry-level product is the
most affordable as it covers a narrow band of
benefits.
• SelfNET: one level up from the Essential option
with more benefits and medical cover.
• MedXX1: a hospital plan that extends beyond
the prescribed minimum benefits and pays out
at 100% of scheme rates for covered in-hospital
treatment and in-hospital doctor’s consultations.
• Selfsure: an option that provides in-hospital and
out-of-hospital benefits and is a great choice for
a family with young children.
• Med Elite: a broader hospital plan that covers
additional conditions including greater coverage
for oncology expenses, hip, knee and back
operations.
• Selfmed 80%: 80% of bills relating to a wide range
of conditions are covered.
Selfmed prides itself on having a very strong
member focus. Becker, who has previously worked
as a paramedic and a hospital manager believes, “All
of us share the passion and we want to ensure our
members receive good healthcare.”
Becker believes that the recent White Paper related
to the planned National Health Insurance (NHI)
scheme did not address a number of issues. He says,
“We all support the idea that healthcare should be
accessible to all,” but issues not tackled include what
the basket of care will look like and who will provide
the care. He notes that the parameters of the NHI will
likely change during its implementation.
Becker is upbeat about the state of the South
African healthcare system in the international context,
and supports a collaborative approach to tackling
the future of healthcare. He says: “I believe that
the private healthcare system in South Africa – private
medical care and medical insurance – is equal
to the best in the world. Many of our doctors and
medical professionals go overseas for training or to
attend medical conferences and we have some of
the most advanced medical equipment in the world
in our private hospitals.
“Furthermore, in countries like the USA, medical
care is far more expensive than it generally is in
South Africa. Ideally, representatives of the entire
healthcare industry here should get together to
discuss challenges and collaborate on viable ways to
solve these so that quality healthcare can be made
accessible to more people.”
www.selfmed.co.za
25 WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2018