Employee Benefits

Group Medical Aid for Your Staff, Set Up and Managed for You

A staff medical aid scheme is one of the strongest benefits a business can offer, and one of the more involved to set up. We design the scheme, negotiate the concessions a group unlocks, get your people onboarded, and run the admin so you do not have to.

FSP No. 5671 | Independent since 1980 | We handle the admin

10+

From around ten members, a group qualifies for underwriting concessions: waived or reduced waiting periods and late-joiner penalties that an individual would normally carry.

~50%

A typical employer subsidy of the monthly contribution (commonly 30% to 66%). A real, visible benefit that helps you attract and keep good people.

Schemes we place groups with

A benefit your people actually value

Good staff are hard to find and harder to keep. Medical aid is consistently one of the benefits employees rate most highly, ahead of many perks that cost more.

It signals that the business looks after its people, reduces the financial stress of illness, and keeps your team healthier and at work. For many businesses it is the difference when a strong candidate is choosing between offers.

Group medical aid for employees South Africa - staff benefit set up by Graham Silva

1980Over 40 years of
connecting cover.

The key difference

What a group gets that an individual does not

A group is placed on terms an individual cannot access alone. This is where a staff scheme earns its keep.

Waived underwriting

Negotiated concessions

From around ten members, schemes grant group underwriting concessions: waiting periods and late-joiner penalties waived or reduced, so staff and their dependants can join without the exclusions an individual would face. We negotiate these for your group.

Group pricing

Community-rated contributions

On a given plan the contribution is the same for everyone regardless of age or health, and a group is placed on terms an individual cannot access on their own.

Clean admin

A dedicated account manager

One point of contact for the scheme, integrated billing aligned to your payroll, and on-site or remote member support, so the load does not land on your HR or finance team.

Ongoing management

Open-season reviews

Plan reviews and option changes at year-end, mid-year concessions where they apply, and a yearly check that the scheme still fits your team and budget.

Employer subsidy

You choose how much to contribute

Most employers subsidise part of each employee’s contribution, commonly around half, sometimes 30%, sometimes up to two thirds. The employee settles the balance, usually via payroll.

There are tax implications for both the business and the employee, and we will walk you through how it works for your structure with current figures.

The subsidy is your call. A visible employer contribution strengthens the benefit and helps with retention, but the structure is yours to set. We model the options with you, including the tax treatment for your business and your staff, using current figures rather than guesses.

You set the split

Commonly around half, sometimes 30%, sometimes up to two thirds. The employee settles the balance, usually through payroll deduction.

Payroll handles the rest

Contributions run through payroll so the admin is clean and predictable for both the business and the employee.

We explain the tax

Employer contributions and the medical scheme fees tax credit both carry tax implications. We walk you through the current treatment for your structure.

How we set it up

From decision to live scheme, handled

We take a staff scheme from first conversation to live cover, and then run it, so the work does not land on your team.

Understand your team

Headcount, ages, dependants, budget and what you want the benefit to achieve. The scheme is designed around your people, not a template.

Compare and negotiate

We compare Discovery, Fedhealth, Bonitas, Momentum and Profmed, and negotiate the group concessions (waived underwriting, terms, rates) on your behalf.

Onboard your staff

Member sessions, paperwork, dependant registration and clear communication, so take-up is high and questions are answered.

Run it for you

Billing aligned to payroll, additions and changes, claims support, and an annual review at open season.

Why use Graham Silva

Why businesses use Graham Silva for staff cover

Setting up and running a staff scheme is our job, not your HR team’s. We negotiate the concessions, carry the admin, and stay with you year on year.

Independent across the major schemes

We place your group on fit, not commission, across Discovery, Fedhealth, Bonitas, Momentum and Profmed.

We negotiate the concessions

Waived underwriting, terms and rates a group unlocks, argued for your business rather than accepted off the shelf.

The admin is ours, not yours

Billing, onboarding, changes and claims support handled, so HR and finance get their time back.

One broker who knows the scheme

Continuity year on year, including the open-season review, from someone who already knows your business.

FAQs

How many staff do I need for a group scheme?

Group underwriting concessions typically start from around ten members. Smaller teams can still be placed; the concessions scale with group size.

What concessions can a group get?

Commonly waived or reduced waiting periods and late-joiner penalties, plus group terms and a dedicated account manager. We negotiate these per scheme and group.

Do I have to subsidise the contributions?

No, but most employers do, typically around half. A subsidy strengthens the benefit; the structure is your call and we will model the options.

Is it a lot of admin for my HR team?

It does not have to be. We handle billing alignment, onboarding, changes and claims support, and give your team one point of contact.

Can staff choose different plans?

Usually yes. Within the scheme, employees can often pick the plan tier that suits their family, while the group terms still apply.

Are there tax implications?

Yes, for both employer and employee. We explain the current treatment for your structure rather than guessing, since figures change with the annual budget.

Let's build a staff scheme that works for your business.

Tell us your headcount and what you’d like the benefit to do – we will compare schemes, negotiate the concessions, and come back with a plan.

Call 011 640 7558

011 640 7558dianne@grahamsilva.co.za