Active since Jun 2018
****med in 2024. Still in disbelief I was able to be duped. Main concern is the security of my banking details
My current Plan : Coastal Saver The purpose of this review is to assist anyone who’s considering joining Discovery Medical aid or is looking for closure on making the decision to leave. Monday morning the 12th of November, my wife blacked out around 3AM after complaining of severe stomach aches. I rushed her to the closest hospital (gateway hospital in Durban), the emergency staff began tending to her and ordered blood work, results were clear but the Doctor at casualty decided to admit her due to her condition. Doctors at the ward and emergency were concerned of appendicitis, the admitting doctor had come by around 8AM and asked a general surgeon to advise further, he requested an ultrasound and X-Ray, by around 11AM both tests had been complete, but the results were inconclusive. He then recommended a CT scan and specifically asked that my wife remain fasted the entire day (even before the two prior tests) in anticipation of emergency surgery for removal of the appendix. This is where the issues began, by now it was 3PM and my wife hadn’t been for a CT notwithstanding the fact she hadn’t eaten solids for more than 24 hrs, I received a call from her and she’d mentioned the Radiographers had advised the medical aid weren’t willing to pay. I give radiology a call and when I get down to the specifics, they mention the medical aid were questioning my wife’s admission and had escalated the matter to their “Standards Function”, at this point I’m furious, I’d already received a pre-auth. Mail with a pre-auth number from Discovery confirming my wife’s stay advising I quote the number at the hospital. By this time, Discovery is getting ready to leave for the day and the CT and potentially the surgery is delayed, I did forward through the confirmation to radiology but was advised that Discovery will not get back to us in time as it was close to 4:30PM. My wife’s condition the next day was worse, at that point, being backed into a corner as there was no response from Discovery, I’d called radiology and had taken personal liability for the cost, she was wheeled down to X-Ray and by 10AM it was confirmed there was a definite issue with the appendix, the surgeon scheduled surgery for 5PM. I give Discovery a call between this time at 9:30AM wanting to understand the reason for the delay, I speak to a consultant who mentions that CT will not require approval while in hospital and that there is an issue with my wife being at hospital, she routes me to another consultant, “Safiya”, I explain that my wife is in hospital and there’s been delays to her surgery as a result of non-confirmation her stay by Discovery, she says the matter has been escalated and that turnaround time could be a day, I explain the severity of my wife’s condition and mention that bureaucracy could have a dire impact on my wife’s health considering the appendix is compromised. Her response was richly dimwitted, she mentions the CT/Surgery doesn’t need to be delayed if I choose to pay out of pocket, I was flabbergasted at the sheer intellectual deficit and frustrated that my wife’s health hanged in the balance by individuals like and similar to herself. Post-surgery I spoke to the operating surgeon and he expressed his frustration over the delay of the CT, we shared the same sentiment about Discovery’s poor service and he urged that I take this to the highest level possible, he mentioned that my wife’s appendix had ruptured and that the extent of the infection to the nearby organs were “nasty”, all of which could have been prevented had he operated earlier. I’m glad and utmost grateful to a higher power, that I do not write this to speak about the worst outcome my wife could have faced, losing her life. I have since resolved to leave Discovery and will do so as soon as I’ve made the relevant arrangements, my brother has two kids and his wife are on Bonitas, being ex-Discovery, he has never looked back.
I recently became an MTN subscriber after roughly 15 years with signing up of a 24 month contract last week. I had a few general queries and decided to call the call center. The call is answered in reasonable time and I’m soon met with an introduction by one of the staff. I put forth my queries and am responded to with a brash condescending attitude, I respond similarly with the backlash now settling the consultant’s tone. From then on out it became a struggle to hear the lady speak as there was a rowdy background of laughter and high pitch exclamations in a native South African language or slang, I enquire about the racket and am told other consultants are tending to calls as well, apparently. I make another call 4 days later and am once again straining to hear the consultant speak due to the noise, the nature of the noise was so inappropriate, I’d asked the consultant if this was in fact the MTN call center and when she did confirm it was, retorted that this was extremely unprofessional conduct. The service I received and picture of the organization painted by the consumer facing consultants are disappointing to say the utmost least. I have true concerns over maintaining a 24 month relationship with a ‘telecommunications giant’ of this caliber.
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