Thank you, National HealthCare Group!

Over the past year, I have had a medical plan with National HealthCare Group (NHG), and I have nothing but praise for them. In this review, I aim to share my experience with this organization, on a public platform, so as to express my heartfelt gratitude to them for the immense contribution they have made towards improving my health and well-being, but also for their overall unwavering resilience in ensuring that everyone, irrespective of their socio-economic status, has access to quality healthcare.

I’ve always assumed my health was fine, as I rarely ever got sick, nor needed to visit a doctor. Since signing up as a member of this medical policy, I have had the opportunity to have wellness check-ups with healthcare professionals, which resulted in me finding out that my health was actually not as perfect as I had imagined it was. Firstly, through pathology tests covered by my plan, and instructed by my network general practitioner, I found out that I have hyperlipidemia, which is a silent killer and strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease. I’ve since been on treatment for it, which is fully covered by NHG.

I also utilized their optometry benefits to have my first comprehensive eye test done. I honestly thought my eyesight was fantastic, and only had my eyes tested for the sake of making use of the available benefit. It turned out that my vision wasn’t that great after all, and due to astigmatism, I was prescribed spectacles, which was paid for in full by NHG. It now feels like I am seeing in high-definition!

What was even more concerning about my eye test, was that the optician detected large cupping of the optic nerve in both my eyes. Cupping is a symptom of glaucoma, which is a hereditary disease that damages the eye’s optic nerves, and can lead to blindness. This characteristic was even more concerning to me because my father has glaucoma and is blind in one eye. Using my medical plan’s specialist visitation benefit, I was able to consult with, and receive diagnostic tests by, an ophthalmologist, who thankfully confirmed that I do not have glaucoma. This was such a relief to me, as I see the daily struggles that this disease has had on my father, and thanks to NHG, I now have peace of mind that this is not a generational curse that I have been handed.

Speaking of my parents, they are both members of a medical aid scheme, with each of them paying about four-fold the price that I pay for my NHG plan, and whose premium increases annually without fail. I help them with their medical aid administration, and on many occasions we have had to basically grovel and beg their scheme to pay for claims that medical aids are entitled to pay for as part of ‘prescribed minimum benefits’. In stark contrast, I have not had a single issue with NHG regarding payments to healthcare providers and refunds that were due to me. Not once did they question my use of the benefits that they graciously provide, nor attempt to find loopholes to avoid paying for a benefit. My ophthalmologist’s bill was a hefty R2,000, which I paid for in cash, and a mere two days after submitting my claim to NHG, the money was refunded in full back into my bank account, no questions asked. NHG (and their associated administrators and partners) are really so efficient, and I found that their staff have been nothing but helpful and courteous to me.

To conclude, words cannot fully describe the admiration and magnitude of appreciation that I have for this organization. There is such a large gap between the minimal fee that I pay them and the enormous benefits that they provide me with. It is very telling that I actually now try to use the benefits only when really necessary, not because they limit them, but because I do not want to take advantage of someone who has already given me so very much. Hands-down, this is not a for-profit healthcare insurance company, but rather a group who genuinely cares about improving the lives of people. The vast range of products and plans they offer are so meticulously designed and crafted. Whether you are an employee or an individual, whether you require a medical aid or insurance, whether you are wealthy or not, one can find a suitable medical plan from them. To NHG, thank you from the bottom of my heart, and may you continue to flourish and thrive as an organization. I will continue to advocate for you, and without a shadow of doubt, I am a member for life.