PJ
Patrick J
Active since Feb 2021
34
Reviews
0
Industries
Reviews
34 reviews1 month ago
From Bad to Worse: Is Polmed Still a Medical Aid or Just a Claims Rejection Machine?
I never imagined that getting basic medical care for my child would turn into a battle with my own medical aid — twice in one year. My daughter recently injured her ankle at school. She was in severe pain and could not walk properly. As any concerned parent would do, I immediately took her to our GP. After examining her, the doctor referred us for a radiology ultrasound to ensure there was no internal damage or fracture in her ankle. It was a standard, medically necessary referral. To my shock — Polmed rejected the claim. This is now the second time within one year that Polmed has rejected claims for treatment I am supposed to be covered for. As a paying member, I am left confused and frustrated. What exactly am I covered for? Emergency care? Specialist referrals? Basic diagnostic imaging? Medical aid is meant to provide peace of mind during stressful times. Instead, I am faced with uncer*****y, administrative stress, and unexpected financial pressure — all while trying to care for my injured child. I do not understand what is happening within Polmed’s management, but if legitimate claims continue to be rejected at this rate, their client base will inevitably decline. Members cannot continue paying high monthly contributions only to fight for basic healthcare benefits. I am now in a position where I need advice and assistance. How can these rejections be challenged effectively? What rights do members have in situations like this? Who oversees medical aid schemes to ensure fairness and accountability? I urge Polmed to review its claims process and provide transparency to its members. Trust, once lost, is difficult to rebuild. At this point, I am not angry — I am deeply disappointed.
0 replies
2 months ago
Polmed’s “Hidden Rules” Cost Me R1,000
After 23 years with Polmed, I expected reliability, not surprises. In July 2025, my GP referred me to a urologist for a necessary medical procedure. All authorizations were obtained, including hospitalization—everything by the book. Fast forward to my follow-up on 4 February 2026: my urologist informed me Polmed had an issue with the claim. Apparently, authorization needs to be renewed every year—or every six months, depending on who’s reading the fine print that apparently only Polmed gets to see. Funny, I never received a heads-up about this “policy,” and I doubt they’ll start any awareness campaigns soon. The outcome? A R1,000 co-payment for a procedure that should have been fully covered. After more than two decades with them, it’s clear their standards have slipped, and transparency is optional. Polmed, here’s a thought: maybe tell your members about these hidden rules before billing them unexpectedly. It might just save someone a surprise bill—and a lot of frustration.
109 replies
2 months ago
A Positive Experience with Faithful to Nature
I recently purchased Shilajit resin from Faithful to Nature and I am genuinely impressed with both the product and the service. The quality of the resin is excellent – it looks pure, fresh, and exactly as described on the website, which gave me a lot of confidence in what I was receiving. The ordering process was smooth and the courier service was efficient and reliable, with my package arriving neatly packed and on time. It’s clear that care is taken not only in sourcing quality products, but also in making sure they reach customers in good condition. Overall, this was a very positive experience. Faithful to Nature delivers both quality and professionalism, and I would happily order from them again.
53 replies
2 months ago
Meerkat Debt Review – Serious Consumer Warning
I entered debt review with Meerkat on the clear condition that my home loan must be excluded, as it is paid directly from my salary. Without my permission or signature, Meerkat included my bond anyway, which is ********. I have now paid off all my debts in full except for one small Standard Bank loan of about R12,000, yet Meerkat has failed to properly recalculate my repayment plan and continues to keep me locked into an incorrect and outdated structure. I was also told by Meerkat that Old Mutual “demanded” an additional R2,500 per month, which is not how debt review works. Creditors cannot simply dictate payment amounts without proper legal process and affordability reassessment, yet Meerkat accepted and enforced this without transparency. Even worse, Meerkat deducted money for my home loan through debt review without legal authority, putting my house at risk and generating ******** fees. This is not a mistake — it is a serious compliance breach. I am now formally demanding: Immediate removal of my bond from debt review A corrected repayment plan And refunds of ******** deductions I will be escalating this matter to the National Credit Regulator (NCR). Consumers deserve transparency, consent, and legal compliance. I received none of that from Meerkat.
56 replies
3 months ago
Overpaid, Under-Served: My Old Mutual Experience
I recently had a consolidation loan with Old Mutual that was financially suffocating. After much struggle, I finally settled the loan—paying the full R254,000. Only when I called to confirm that they had received the payment did I learn, to my surprise, that I was actually owed a refund. It seems that during the “settlement” process, my original debt of R251,000 somehow magically increased to R254,000. Apparently, this is one of the many clever ways financial institutions—sometimes with the government’s help—make sure you pay more while trying to pay less. After discovering the overpayment, I was bounced around the Old Mutual system like a pinball: general department → legal department → debt review department → told I must speak to someone named Bridgette. The first three calls were cut off mid-ring. On the fourth attempt, I was told to leave my number and wait for Bridgette to call back. It’s now almost a week later, and I’m still waiting—R140 in airtime gone, and my refund apparently trapped somewhere in corporate limbo. Old Mutual seems to have perfected the art of making customers overpay, then testing patience through endless phone transfers and broken promises. While I appreciate their dedication to keeping me on hold, I would have preferred they simply refund what is owed.
280 replies
5 months ago
Review of Polmed: Extremely Poor Communication & Inaccurate Client Information
A couple of months ago, I visited the Polmed client portal to check my remaining benefits as we were nearing the end of the year. According to the portal, I still had 11 GP consultations left as well as available benefits for hospitalisation. I re**** on this information, assuming that the system was up-to-date and accurately maintained. A week later, I had a medical emergency and was rushed to the nearest available doctor — not my usual GP — and was then transferred to Mediclinic Oudtshoorn for urgent care. My blood sugar levels were dangerously high, and I was admitted until they stabilised. That was the day I discovered that I am a new diabetic, and that my Polmed benefits were apparently “exhausted.” Polmed refused to cover the treatment I received at Mediclinic Oudtshoorn, leaving me with unexpected medical debt. I also had to pay the GP’s fees out of my own pocket. To make matters worse, Mediclinic Oudtshoorn wasted no time handing me over to debt collectors — as if I didn’t already have more than enough to deal with, emotionally and financially. What frustrates me most is that this entire situation could have been avoided if Polmed maintained an accurate and up-to-date client portal. I re**** on the information provided by their own system. Instead, I was misled and left unprotected in a medical emergency. Let’s be realistic: large organisations like Polmed rarely accept responsibility. They have the resources to drag out complaints, disputes, and legal proceedings, while ordinary clients are left with the consequences. It feels like bullying — hiding behind bureaucracy while clients pay the price for their internal communication failures. I am sharing this so that others are aware: do not assume the Polmed portal reflects your real benefits, and be prepared for a complete lack of accountability when their system errors impact your life.
159 replies
7 months ago
Disappointed and Seeking Urgent Clarity – Feeling Let Down by Meerkat
About four months ago, I reached a point where I could no longer manage my monthly premiums and loan repayments, which totaled R13,500. In search of relief, I discovered Meerkat Debt Counsellors and contacted them for help. Their consultant assured me that if I registered for debt review, my monthly payment would drop to R8,000, saving me R5,500. Based on that promise, I decided to proceed. Initially, things seemed hopeful. But after two months, a Meerkat consultant informed me that Old Mutual was unhappy with the amount they had received and demanded an additional R2,600, threatening legal action if the payment wasn’t made. More recently, I’ve been receiving threats from Standard Bank attorneys regarding both a credit card debt and a term loan—both of which I had disclosed to Meerkat during the debt review process. Shortly after, Standard Bank contacted me directly, insisting on immediate payments for both accounts. To make matters worse, since negotiations began between Meerkat and the businesses, I owed money to, interest has continued to accumulate on those accounts. This has only increased the pressure and financial strain I was trying to escape in the first place. I’ve raised these concerns with Meerkat multiple times, but each time I’m told the issue is being “escalated to the relevant department.” That response has become a frustrating loop, and I’m left feeling confused, unsupported, and fearful of legal consequences. I trusted Meerkat to help me regain control of my finances, but right now I feel abandoned in a time of real vulnerability. I need answers—not just reassurances—and I hope this review prompts action and accountability.
53 replies
10 months ago
A Lesson in Selective Coverage: My Budget Insurance Experience
Two months ago, while embracing the noble tradition of spring cleaning—a ritual known to both renew the soul and displace every piece of furniture you own—my family and I diligently transformed our home into a minimalist masterpiece. The couches were shifted, carpets shaken, and cabinets dragged with the enthusiasm of a team auditioning for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. That evening, basking in our spotless victory, we all retreated to our respective entertainment zones. I switched on the bedroom TV, the kids commandeered the living room unit—and then... nothing. Just black screens. Both televisions powered up but displayed nothing but existential darkness, as if in mourning for their displaced positions. Curiously, every other appliance—PCs, lights, toasters—continued to work like loyal soldiers. Naturally, I turned to Budget Insurance, the company I had entrusted with the protection of my household contents under the assumption (perhaps naively) that "comprehensive coverage" actually meant coverage that is, well, comprehensive. They promptly dispatched an assessor to investigate. He examined both TVs with forensic precision and announced his verdict: one TV had a visible crack and would be replaced; the other, with no visible damage, was apparently not worthy of coverage. Let me pause here to marvel at this brilliant bit of logic: a broken TV with a visible wound is insured, while one with the exact same malfunction but no external signs of distress—perhaps it died of emotional shock during the furniture shuffle—is simply out of luck. Clearly, Budget Insurance covers only TVs that bleed. Apparently, invisible damage is an abstract concept—possibly too abstract for Budget’s risk model. It appears the fine print hides more than just legalese; it hides the very essence of what we thought we were paying for. When I first signed up, the goal was simple: protect my belongings from accidental damage, regardless of whether that damage is bold and photogenic or sneakily internal. But it seems I may have misunderstood. Perhaps Budget's idea of "all household items" actually means "some household items, if they meet our criteria for what damage should look like." My mistake. In light of this philosophical and financial epiphany, I’m now exploring other insurance providers—ones who hopefully believe that a malfunctioning TV, regardless of whether it's bleeding or not, is still a broken TV. In conclusion, if you're considering Budget Insurance, be sure to bring along a magnifying glass, a degree in semantics, and the ability to predict which of your appliances will have the decency to show visible scars when they break. Because apparently, invisibly injured electronics don’t count.
109 replies
13 months ago
Unfair Rejection of My Daughter’s NSFAS Application
I am extremely disappointed with NSFAS for unfairly rejecting my daughter's student funding application. Their reason for rejection is that my income exceeds R350,000 per year, which is entirely false. I have provided all the necessary proof, including my latest payslips and an ITA34 from SARS, confirming that my actual earnings are well below this threshold. Furthermore, my spouse, who is the legal guardian of my daughter, is currently unemployed. I submitted all the required documents as proof, yet NSFAS still chose to reject the appeal. To make matters worse, my spouse and I are in the process of divorce, which further complicates our financial situation. This unjust decision not only affects my daughter's future but also places an immense financial burden on me, adding unnecessary stress to my already difficult circumstances. The cost of tuition and other academic expenses now rests solely on my shoulders, making it even harder for my daughter to pursue higher education. I urge NSFAS to reassess her application with fairness and transparency because denying deserving students funding due to administrative errors or miscalculations is completely unacceptable. The flaws in NSFAS’s system are precisely why so many people feel pressured to lie on their applications. Many individuals I have spoken to advised that, out of fear of rejection, one should let a relative who receives social grants apply instead. This raises a crucial question: Is there a silent war against the working class and taxpayers? It seems that those who contribute to the economy are unfairly penalized, while *******ion and inefficiencies within NSFAS persist. I live in a small town where our high school achieved a 94% matric pass rate in 2024. Most of these students had the potential to attend university, and many app****. However, due to NSFAS’s delayed responses, only three students took the risk of enrolling, hoping that their funding would eventually be approved. Other parents, mostly farm laborers, were unwilling to take that chance, fearing financial ruin if NSFAS failed them. As a result, instead of going to university, many top-performing students were left with no option but to become farm workers despite holding excellent matric certificates. The cycle of poverty and economic oppression continues—with the help of our government, NSFAS ensures that a new generation of low-income workers enters the labor force, securing a system where fewer highly educated individuals rise to uplift our country. Instead of empowering young South Africans through education, NSFAS is perpetuating the very inequalities it was designed to eliminate. I sincerely hope that NSFAS takes accountability for its failures and corrects this injustice, ensuring that deserving students are not denied opportunities due to bureaucratic inefficiencies and systemic bias.
0 replies
18 months ago
Issues with Withdrawal Limits and Verification Process
I’ve been using AltCoinTrader as my primary platform for buying cryptocurrency, and while the trading experience is generally smooth, I've encountered significant issues with the withdrawal process that I believe are important to share. AltCoinTrader operates on a tiered account system that allows users various levels of access based on their verification status. At Level 1, users benefit from unlimited trading and deposits, but withdrawals are capped at R1000. This setup, while understandable as a potential security measure, becomes frustrating if one wishes to withdraw more substantial amounts, as it requires verification for higher tiers. I submitted all necessary documents for verification, hoping to increase my withdrawal limits. Unfortunately, despite following the required steps, my account remains unverified, and I’ve yet to receive a clear update from customer support. It’s been an extended wait, and each follow-up has yet to yield any real answers or a timeline for resolution. While I appreciate that such policies may aim to protect users, I find the system unclear and difficult to navigate, especially given the lack of support feedback. This experience has made me question the platform’s efficiency in managing user verifications and the actual purpose behind the tiered restrictions. Overall, AltCoinTrader has great potential as a trading platform, but improvements in its support responsiveness and transparency around verification would enhance user trust.
0 replies
Review Distribution
5 Star
2 (5.882352941176471%)
4 Star
0 (0%)
3 Star
0 (0%)
2 Star
2 (5.882352941176471%)
1 Star
30 (88.23529411764706%)