Selfmed / Compare Amalgamation - Empty promises

Earlier this year correspondence was send out by Selfmed for a planned amalgamation between Selfmed and Compare, according to this correspondence we would be getting a better and stronger medical aid at a better price.

We did not vote for the amalgamation because we were expected to go in blind, the options that would be available after the amalgamation was not given, nor the contributions for options going forward. This amalgamation has now been approved and new membership cards were send out. I was told that the options and the contributions would be available towards the end of October. That did not happen and I have not received a response to emails send to Selfmed.

Today I went onto the Compare website and Donald gave me the options available for 2020. We have far less benefits than we previously had at a higher monthly contribution. I phoned Selfmed / Compare and the lady that answered the phone said the options for 2020 is not available yet, I told her that Donald send them to me and according to him the options that he send are the only options available. She then put me through to another lady that first said the benefits for 2020 is not available yet, when I told her I got them send to me from the Compare website, she all of a sudden had them in front of her.

My complaint is this, amalgamation was never explained, the financial impact as well as the loss of benefits was never clearly outlined, Selfmed and Compare decided to amalgamate with empty promises that a better medical aid plan was in our future a better rate.

I have been told to hold on and put through and told to send an email that goes unanswered one too many times since this whole thing started.

It is too late now, it is what it is. I just feel that the customer / patient has yet again been fooled by empty promises from medical aids.