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Thinus van der Merwe
Active since Jan 2025
4
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4 reviews1 month ago
Don't waste your money on Bonitas Medical Aid
For the people that think that Bonitas (Bon Start) is an cheap medical aid I just want to give them an eye opener. It start of with a monthly fee of R1498.00 per month on 1 October 2025 where I was informed that there is a three (3) months waiting period. The understanding was that my Chronic Disease List (CDL) conditions would be paid (after this waiting period) only to be informed afterwards that it is excluded. Secondly Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) had to be paid immediately only to be informed that it is excluded for three (3) months, which is illegitimate. Law further determine that PMB's must be provided according to formulator rates which they do not comply with. Furthermore they falsely advertise that GP's will be paid 100% scheme rate after the three (3) months waiting period . Only to find that you actually have R1160 (per year) for such visits that is equivalent to one consultation. Another ridiculous benefit is that the over the counter medication is limited to R110 per event and R545 per year. You will only have enough funds for maybe a packet of Disprins and the rest you will pay yourself. Being honest about my chronic conditions its getting excluded for a year. This means no benefit as prescribed. And for the ones that though you have a full in-hospital cover there is another eye opener that you are going to be accountable for most of the bills that can be thousands of rands. Just to sum summarize your benefit it can be mentioned that you are going to pay more than R18 000.00 per year while your benefits is about R1800 for doctors visits and over the counter medication. This is in contradiction with other Medical Service providers that monthly fee is about R500 per member, Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) as mandated by law, ensuring coverage for 270+ hospital conditions, 26 Chronic Disease List (CDL) conditions, and emergency medical treatment, regardless of the plan option. These are covered in full, subject to using Designated Service Providers (DSPs) and formulary guidelines. Furthermore you have unlimited doctor consultations paid in full. For another R200 more you will also receive a hospital plan for about R 1 million for accidents and trauma conditions that will require hospitalization. After receiving NO services and have paid about a total of R7500 for not using the Bonitas Scheme I had cancelled their service with immediate effect. Upon that they had the audacity to inform me that I have to give a months notice for now service and also have to pay the increased premium of R1603 for further no service until my membership is terminated. This medical plan is nothing more than a **** and I will also report Bonitas Medical Aid to the Council for Medical Schemes since they doing false advertising and ripping the members off their hard earned money.
53 replies
13 months ago
Affinity Health
The most pathetic services I had ever received from a medical service provider that must look after your health. On Wednesday, 02 April 2025 around 09:00 I had sent a "please call me" as prescribed to be phoned back by Affinity Health. The operator had only phoned me around 13:00 which is four (4) hours later. Don’t want to know what the consequences would be if it was a life threatening situation. My girlfriend had severe flu for four (4) days and I had severe pain and an abnormal swollen foot that I could hardly walk on. The process for the operator to follow is then to request a qualified nurse to phone me back which was done two (2) hours later around 15:00 which is now in total six (6) hours later. After the medical conditions were explained to the so called nurse she had recommended Alcophyllex syrup (cough mixture), Allergex Non Drowsy tablets (allergy tablets) and Ibupain (pain tablets) for the flu and wanted pictures of the foot (for a recommendation for pain tablets). Since it was already late I had decided to go to Dischem pharmacy with the hope that due to the severity of my foot that the recommended pain killers would also be sent per SMS message as a prescription and for payment. By the pharmacy around 16:00 I was informed that the recommended medication was not approved for payment and still I did not receive the SMS for recommended anti inflammatory painkillers. Spending another hour (one (1) hour) complaining to the operator about non approval of the recommended medication and not sending an SMS for pain medication, had cost me a whole day and eventually getting better over the counter medication from the pharmacy assistant within five (5) minutes. Only the next day, Thursday 03 April 2025, around 09:00 I had received a call from a Sr. Bester asking me if I had requested for medical assistance based on the photos I had sent. This is the type of non service delivery I receive on a regular basis. The fact of the matter is that I was forced to join Affinity Health and that they are compulsory while working in the private security industry while PSIRA could not provide a proper service provider. What I had further noted is that the cheapest medication on the market is provided to treat the symptoms and not the medical condition. Not only does it affect my health in the long term that will lead to more medical expenditures and it would also cause that I will have to consult with a qualified doctor in future. At the end of the day my treatment would cost more than double what the original costs would be with proper treatment. It appears to me that this is a cheap health insurance plan where unqualified staff or professional medical service providers are used to render a medical service where the aim is to make profit and not rendering services. With all respect I would rather recommend a state clinic or hospital than paying for Affinity Health. For members I recommend seeing a qualified doctor. I had only received hardships and cannot even give one star for services that do not exist.
111 replies
13 months ago
Affinity Health Insurance
The most pathetic services I had ever received from a medical service provider that must look after your health. On Wednesday, 02 April 2025 around 09:00 I had send a please call me as prescribed to be phoned back by Affinity Health. The operator had only phoned me around 13:00 which is four (4) hours later. Don’t want to know what the consequences would be if it was a life threatening situation. My girlfriend had severe flue for four (4) days and I had severe pain and an abnormal swollen foot that I could hardly walk on. The process for the operator to follow is then to request a qualified nurse to phone me back which was done two (2) hours later around 15:00 which is now in total six (6) hours later. After the medical conditions was explained to the so called nurse she had recommended Alcophyllex syrup (cough mixture), Allergex Non Drowsy tablets (allergy tablets) and Ibupain (pain tablets) for the flue and want pictures of the foot (for a recommendation for pain tablets). Since it was already late I had decided to go to Dischem pharmacy with the hope that due to the severity of my foot that the recommended pain killers would also be sent per SMS message as a prescription and for payment. By the pharmacy around 16:00 I was informed that the recommended medication was not approved for payment and still I did not receive the SMS for recommended anti inflammatory pain killers. Spending another hour (one (1) hour) complaining to the operator about non approval of the recommended medication and not sending an SMS for pain medication, had costs me to waste a whole day and eventually getting better over the counter medication from the pharmacy assistant within five (5) minutes. Only the next day, Thursday 03 April 2025, around 09:00 I had received a call from a Sr. Bester asking me if I had requested for medical assistance based on the photos I had send. This is the type of non service delivery I receive on a regular basis. The fact of the matter is that I was force to join Affinity Health and that they are compulsory while working in the private security industry while PSIRA could not provide a proper service provider. What I had further noted is that the cheapest medication on the market is provided to treat the symptoms and not the medical condition. Not just does it affect my health in the long term that will lead to more medical expenditures and it would also cause that I will have to consult with a qualified doctor in future. At the end of the day my treatment would costs more than double what the original costs would be with proper treatment. It appears to me that this is a cheap health insurance plan where unqualified staff or *********** professional medical service providers are used to render a medical service where the aim is to make profit and not rendering services. With all respect I would rather recommended a state clinic or hospital than paying for Affinity Health. For members I recommend to demand to see a qualified doctor. I had only received hardships and cannot even give one star for services that does not exists.
0 replies
15 months ago
Be aware of Affinity Health!!!
If your health is important to you be careful for this "cheap" Health Insurance Plan for the fact that your health is not their concern and their formulary medication and chronic medication is the cheapest on the market that you are actually better off to buy medication over the counter or get it free from a clinic. Had become sick on 23 January 2025 and ask for a virtual doctor and after more than three (3) hours got a return call although I was in severe pain, with an upset stomach and feeling bloated. When I spoke with Sister Gerber I cannot complaint about her and she advises me well on my medical condition. My nightmare started when I went to Dischem with her recommended medication. Firstly it is not a medical script and a WhatsApp notice with recommended medication of which Affinity only want to pay for three (3) items. Then I had to sit in Dischem when I had felt extremely sick for another two (2) hours for them to correct it and give me a script. By the time they were about to close the medical script had still not arrived and I had received it only late with the arrangement that Dischem will come and deliver it the next day. The next day the script was totally changed and the end result for a person that have symptoms of the new China flue that also have bacteria infection that causes extreme tiredness, I got Lictopent (caught mixture) and Allergex (allergy treatment) and with the flu I had indigestion or dyspepsia (upset tummy), with feeling of discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen (bloated) for which I got Rehidrat (sachets for dehydration). For a person that have severe nerve pain due to amputation of the left leg and walking with crutches for more than thirty (30) years I had received panado (actamol) and deep relief gel. These medications serve no purpose and would rather prolong your condition or make it worse. It further appears that the so-called virtual doctors are nothing more than nurses that will provide the cheapest product on the market. When I complaint about the poor medication and treatment that I had received I even had to listen to an arrogant nurse Lerato Makautu whom refuse to provide me with the Managing Directors name or contact details. Neither did I receive the correct medication. I want to terminate Affinity Health service with immediate effect.
106 replies
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