Does using a broker cost more than going direct to a scheme?

No. The broker fee is a regulated part of your monthly contribution either way. Using an accredited adviser costs you nothing extra.

Health Cover

Medical aid that fits your life, chosen and managed with an adviser who knows you.

South Africa has dozens of medical aid plans across the major schemes. Comparing them properly, the day-to-day benefits, the hospital networks, the chronic cover, the fine print, is a job. We do it every day.

CMS

A medical scheme broker fee is regulated by the Council for Medical Schemes and already built into your monthly contribution. You pay it whether you use an adviser or not.

Major schemes we compare for you: Discovery, Fedhealth, Bonitas, Momentum and Profmed.

Choosing the right plan is a lot to weigh up on your own.

We do the comparing, explain the fine print clearly, and make sure your cover fits your family, your doctors and your budget.

And when a claim needs sorting or a benefit is misapplied, we are the ones who know your plan and step in. All of it comes at no extra cost to you.

A family reviewing medical aid options with an independent adviser, Graham Silva

1980Over 40 years of
connecting cover.

How we compare

What we look at when we compare plans for you

The cheapest plan is rarely the cheapest once you use it. Here is what we actually check for you before recommending a scheme.

Doctors and hospitals

Your doctors and hospitals

Whether your GP, specialists and preferred hospital are in the plan's network, and what it costs you if they are not. Networks are where a cheap plan quietly gets expensive.

Chronic and PMBs

Chronic medication and PMBs

Every scheme must cover the Prescribed Minimum Benefits (a defined list of conditions and emergencies) by law, but how chronic medicine, scripts and registration work differs a lot between plans.

Everyday cover

Day-to-day cover

Savings accounts, above-threshold benefits and out-of-hospital limits. This is where families feel the difference month to month, and where the wrong plan hurts.

True cost

The real monthly cost

Not just the headline contribution, but the gaps you would pay out of pocket. We compare the total cost of being covered, not the sticker price.

Not every scheme is open to everyone

Most schemes are “open”, meaning anyone can join. Some are “restricted” to a profession or employer.

Profmed, for example, is restricted to graduate professionals. Knowing which schemes you actually qualify for narrows the field fast, and it is the first thing we check.

Open schemes must accept any applicant, so they form the comparison field for most people. Restricted schemes like Profmed are only open to a defined group, such as graduate professionals, and can offer strong value if you qualify. We check your eligibility before comparing, so you are only choosing between schemes you can actually join.

Open schemes

Anyone can join, regardless of profession or employer. Discovery, Fedhealth, Bonitas and Momentum are open schemes, and make up the field for most individuals and families.

Restricted schemes

Open only to a defined group. Profmed is restricted to graduate professionals. If you qualify, a restricted scheme can be very competitive, so we check first.

We check eligibility first

Before comparing plans, we confirm which schemes you can actually join. It narrows the field quickly and stops you weighing up cover you are not eligible for.

Gap cover

Your scheme pays its tariff. Specialists often charge more

Specialists and private hospitals commonly charge 200% to 500% of the scheme tariff. Your medical aid pays its rate; the shortfall is yours. For most families on hospital plans, gap cover is the missing piece. We set it up alongside the right scheme.

What gap cover pays

In-hospital specialist shortfalls

When a surgeon, anaesthetist or specialist charges above the scheme tariff, gap cover pays the difference, along with certain co-payments and sub-limits, so the shortfall does not come out of your pocket.

Inexpensive add-on

A small, separate policy

Gap cover is a separate, inexpensive short-term policy that sits alongside your medical aid. For anyone on a hospital plan, it is usually the difference between a covered admission and an unexpected bill.

Set up with your scheme

Chosen to match your plan

We advise on gap cover per situation and set it up alongside the right scheme, so the two work together rather than leaving a hole between them.

Medical aid support and advice

Independent across the major schemes

We compare Discovery, Fedhealth, Bonitas, Momentum and Profmed and recommend on fit, not commission.

We read the fine print

Networks, co-payments, sub-limits and waiting periods, explained before you commit, not discovered at claim time.

We help at claim time

When a claim is queried or a benefit is misapplied, you have someone who knows your plan and deals with the scheme for you.

One adviser, year after year

As your needs change, we review and adjust, including adding gap cover where it makes sense.

FAQs

Does using a broker cost more than going direct?

No. The broker fee is a regulated part of your monthly contribution either way. Using an adviser costs you nothing extra.

What are Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs)?

A legally defined set of conditions and emergencies every scheme must cover, regardless of the plan you choose. How they are accessed and registered differs between schemes.

Can you help me switch schemes?

Yes. We compare your current plan against the alternatives and handle the move, including timing it to avoid new waiting periods where possible.

What is gap cover and do I need it?

A separate policy that covers specialist shortfalls your medical aid does not. For anyone on a hospital plan, it is usually worth it. We advise per situation.

Which medical aid is the best?

There is no single best. It depends on your doctors, your health, your family and your budget. That is exactly what the comparison is for.

Do you only help people in Johannesburg?

No. We advise clients across South Africa.

Let's find the right medical aid for your situation.

Tell us a bit about your family and your doctors. We’ll compare the schemes and come back with a clear recommendation.

011 640 7558info@grahamsilva.co.za

Providers we work with