Discovery scheme members to pay about 7 point 9 percent more in 2018

Author: Personal Finance

Source: Personal Finance

Discovery Health Medical Scheme this week announced its contribution increases, as well as its product and benefit updates, for 2018.

The overall weighted contribution increase for the scheme will be 7.9%, with contributions on the Executive and Smart Plan options increasing by 7.3%, the Core and Saver Plan options by 7.6%, and the Comprehensive, Priority and KeyCare Plan options by 8.3%.

The increases are lower than medical inflation which, over the 12 months to the end of July, was estimated to be 8.93% (three percentage points higher than CPI inflation of 5.93%).

Discovery says the contribution increases will be accompanied by certain added benefits, including a “substantially enhanced maternity and child benefit”, enhancements to its Executive Plan, an over-the-counter medicine benefit on its Smart Plan, and, on certain options, a Day-to-day Extender Benefit, which covers certain events for members who have used up their medical savings accounts.