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Providing access to affordable and quality healthcare remains a top priority for Bestmed. On Friday, 17 September 2021, we officially announced our 2022 product offerings, enhancements, and contribution increases. This includes the strategic decision to use some of the Scheme’s reserves to ensure all members receive a below CPI contribution increase of 3.9% for 2022. This contribution increase is complemented by no benefit reductions on existing benefits and a generous 4.2% increase in current benefit limits.  

This will come as good news to our over 200 000 (and growing) beneficiaries.  “As you know, we recently celebrated our 100 000^th principal member registration. Including dependants, the Scheme now provides quality healthcare cover for more than 209 000 lives.  This positive growth in membership was achieved in a volatile and saturated market where the positive adjunct of the COVID-19 pandemic was an increased appreciation for private medical cover that resulted in growth for Bestmed.  A glance at the Council for Medical Schemes annual report for 2019/2020 reveals that most of Bestmed’s competitors suffered losses of principal members from 2019”, says Leo Dlamini, Bestmed CEO and Principal Officer.

“We ascribe this unique growth to the continuous enhancement of our product offering, our focus on member experience, leveraging our sales channels, and a relentless focus on retention,” adds Dlamini.

This can be seen in the Scheme’s recent accolades and rankings in leading indices, such as the 2020 Ask Afrika Orange Index®.

“We exist for our members, who entrust us with their healthcare funding needs. The Scheme therefore aims to manage, as best as it can, the long-term affordability of contributions so that members can continue to access private healthcare of the highest standard. According to the 2021 South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SA-csi), our overall loyalty index is top of the industry, and 82% of customers communicated that they are likely to repurchase”, says Madelein Barkhuizen, Executive: Sales and Marketing at Bestmed.

Some highlights from the 2022 Product Launch, recently hosted as a virtual event, include:

• Only pay contributions for up to three children, the rest are covered for free
• Beneficiaries until the age of 24 years (previously 21 years) and registered students up to 26 years are covered as child dependents
• Enhanced wellness, preventative care and optometry benefits
• Increased over the counter medicine benefit
• Removal and reduction in co-payments
• Addition of a lactation consultation with a registered nurse or lactation specialist as an additional Maternity benefit across all options
• Enhanced day-to-day benefits for consultations, chronic medicine and dental, amongst others

“Our members can rest assured that their funds, and their Scheme, are secure and sustainable and we will be able to provide for their healthcare needs into the future,” says Dlamini.

The Scheme thanks you for your contribution and support. And thank you to all those who were able to attend our launch.

We will soon be embarking on our roadshows to share this and other information with all corporate clients. Please keep an eye out for the invitation.