Sizwe Hosmed

Sizwe Hosmed is the result of a merger between Sizwe Medical Fund and Hosmed Medical Scheme which took place on the 1st of November 2021. This merger resulted in a combined 172 000 members and 80 combined years of experience.

Sizwe was established in 1978 as a non-discriminatory, progressive fund and was created by pioneering professionals and doctors of all colours.

Earlier, in the late 60's black doctors from Vereeniging, Pretoria, Johannesburg and the East Rand joined together and formed SAMDG (the South African Medical Discussion Group).

A chance meeting

SAMDG appointed its first committee in 1976 and Dr. Mzamane from Katlehong was the Chairman. That year a member, Dr. Mokgedi, who practiced in Sebokeng was at a clinical meeting at Johannesburg General Hospital.

There he met a white doctor, Dr. Loots, and together they agreed to look into registering a medical aid scheme and to start a private, predominantly black hospital.

Then Dr. Motlane, who was a very influential person and a leader in the black community became chairman of SAMDG.

A new dawn

He proposed that black doctors get shares in the prospective medical aid and negotiated with mainly white businesses to support their initiative.

The Kwacha Group (meaning Day Break in the Malawian language Chewa) was formed in 1978. This was the forerunner of the Sizwe Medical Fund.

The Kwacha Group was registered with 38 shareholders. Once they raised R3 million as security, Sizwe Medical Fund was registered and began operating and Lesedi Clinic, the private hospital visualized by the founders, was opened.

The Kwacha Group later changed to Sechaba Group Holdings and later became Sizwe Medical Fund. The objectives of the fund were:

• Providing medical aid coverage to the black population.
• Lead them in health matters.
• To assist black specialists to open their private practices.
• To give black doctors and patients access to x-rays and other costly tests and medicines which they were virtually denied.

Hosmed was registered in 1998 as an open, non-profit scheme. It provided healthcare to between 21000 and 35000 main members for more than 20 years before the merger with Sizwe Medical Fund.

Hosmed always had A-level ratings with the Global Credit Rating, which meant that Hosmed was on sound financial footing.

Making healthcare access simple

Many South Africans would like access to medical aid that are plain and simple. With Hosmed they get just that: the best medical care made easy. Hosmed was open to the public and private sectors and aspired to provide the best possible medical care.

With the merger between Sizwe and Hosmed they now became one of the top 8 in the country. Now affordable and quality care is available to everyone.

Sizwe Hosmed thought of you when they crafted their products. They have a large variety of solutions for every life stage. They'll help you to make an informed decision from their different options.

All Sizwe Hosmed products offer these out-of-hospital benefits

• Basic dentistry
• Optometry
• Annual screening and wellness
• Maternity benefits

Sizwe Hosmed has 4 types of plans: traditional plans, hybrid plans, new-generation products, and low-cost plans.

How traditional plans work

It gives day-to-day benefits up to a certain Rand amount per treatment or condition. There's a set amount you can use for each benefit and after it's depleted there are no more funds available until the next year.

Usually, these plans allow you to choose whatever service provider you want to use.

If you don't use all the benefits they do not carry over to the new year.

Traditional plans include Plus, starting at R13 944 for the main member, Value starting at R10 815, Value Core at R10 815, Gold Ascend starting at R6 844, and Gold Ascend EDO (Efficiency Discount Option), starting at R6 884.

New Generation Products

These include a savings plan with a set amount allocated to an MSA (Medical Savings Account) every year. The members can decide whether to have 15% or 25% of their contributions put in their MSA.

These funds are used for day-to-day (out-of-hospital) medical expenses, and Sizwe Hosmed also offers more out-of-hospital benefits, to save your MSA. This MSA is your money and if you don't utilize it, it’ll accumulate every year. You may transfer these funds to another savings-type plan, or if you resign from the fund, the money will be returned to you after 4 months.

These plans include Access Saver 15, starting at R2 395 for the main member, Access Saver 25 starting at R2 715, and Silver Hospital- which is a hospital plan with chronic benefits- starting at R2 040.

Sizwe Med Hybrid Plans

These give you the best of new-generation savings and traditional plans. You can have confidence now, that if your MSA is used up there is a small gap that's self-funded, then the scheme kicks in again with more benefits.

If you don't use your member savings, they'll roll over every year, and if you resign from a savings-type plan, the unused MSA will be refunded to you by Sizwe Hosmed Medical Aid.

These hybrids suit large families who need comprehensive coverage both in and out of the hospital and have flexibility. They can be assured that there is an ATB (Above Threshold Benefit) available when they need it.

Hybrid Plans include Titanium Executive- contributions starting at R13 944, Platinum Enhanced starting at R4 130, and Platinum Enhanced EDO starting at R3925, for just the main member.