Compare Medical Aid Plans in South Africa

Start with your household, who needs cover and any chronic conditions, then weigh how often you use private doctors against what you can afford each month. A hospital plan is cheapest but covers little day to day, while comprehensive plans cost more but cover more. The tool matches plans to these inputs for you.

A hospital plan covers in-hospital treatment and prescribed minimum benefits but little else, so it is cheaper. A comprehensive plan adds day-to-day benefits like GP visits, dentistry and optometry, often with a savings account, for a higher monthly contribution.

Every registered scheme must cover PMB cancers at its designated providers, but plans differ a lot above that legal floor. Some entry plans offer nothing beyond PMB level, mid-range plans cap oncology between roughly R170,000 and R650,000 a year, and top plans pay unlimited or very high amounts, often with a co-payment past a threshold. The tool shows each plan's cancer cover and lets you filter for strong cover.

Often not beyond the legal minimum. Several entry and network plans exclude non-PMB joint replacements and back or neck surgery outright, and others cap the internal prosthesis at an amount below what a hip or spinal implant actually costs, leaving you to pay the difference. The tool flags this per plan under major procedure cover.

It is the maximum a scheme pays for surgically implanted hardware such as hip and knee prostheses, spinal implants, stents and pacemakers. If your implant costs more than the limit, you pay the shortfall. Limits in 2026 range from about R23,000 on the tightest plan to R140,000 or more, while some plans have no limit if you use the scheme's network suppliers.

Yes. The tool uses 2026 contribution figures from the schemes. Medical aid prices are set annually, so the figures are reviewed and updated when schemes announce their new-year rates.

No. You can apply directly to a scheme. A broker can help and is paid by the scheme, but this tool is built so you can compare plans yourself, with the reasoning shown, and avoid being pushed toward one option.

They are a set of conditions and treatments that every registered medical scheme must cover by law, no matter which plan you choose, including emergencies and a defined list of chronic and serious conditions. Plans differ in what they add on top, which is why PMB-only cover is worth checking before you join.

They sound similar but are regulated differently and cover you differently. Medical aid is a not for profit scheme governed by the Medical Schemes Act, must accept anyone regardless of health, and must cover prescribed minimum benefits in full. Medical insurance is a for profit product regulated like short term insurance, pays a fixed amount for a listed event rather than the actual cost, and is usually cheaper but can leave gaps medical aid would have covered. This tool compares medical aid schemes, not medical insurance products.

Usually yes. Most schemes apply a general waiting period of up to three months on any new membership, and a condition specific waiting period of up to 12 months on a pre-existing condition you already knew about, during which you still pay contributions but cannot claim for that condition. Moving from one scheme to another without a break in cover can reduce or remove these waits, so ask the new scheme to confirm before you switch.