As one of the most financially stable, open medical schemes in South Africa, Medshield mapped its existing benefits against members’ needs to identify strengths and gaps, reviewed the competitive landscape and considered the role of modern technology in delivering greater value and access. For 2027, the Scheme has protected its existing benefits, enhanced selected benefit limits, and introduced new benefits:
“Our focus for 2027 ensures that members can afford to retain private healthcare in a challenging economic environment. Over the years, the Scheme has maintained a considered and consistent approach to benefit design and contribution increases, carefully balancing affordability, medical inflation and long-term sustainability while delivering quality benefits and healthcare solutions, financial protection and meaningful support. We will continue to look for opportunities to enhance the value we provide to our members,” says Medshield principal officer, Kevin Aron.
One such opportunity is Medshield’s collaboration with Sanlam, South Africa’s largest and leading financial services group. Medshield and Sanlam have signed a distribution agreement recognising that Medshield is a preferred healthcare partner to Sanlam. This partnership will bring members closer to a more connected health and financial wellbeing experience. Through the collaboration, members will progressively gain access to wellness, gap cover, financial planning, insurance, investment, retirement, banking and rewards solutions across the Sanlam ecosystem. The collaboration also gives members and corporate clients access to Sanlam Gap, Sanlam Reality and Sanlam Wealth, thereby strengthening the value Medshield provides to members and corporate clients through brokers.
“Healthcare decisions do not occur in isolation from the other financial pressures people face. Health and financial wellbeing are closely connected, and through our collaboration with Sanlam we can broaden the conversation,” says Aron. We want members to understand not only what they are covered for, but also how to use that cover effectively to achieve better health outcomes and access additional value that can help ease financial pressures.”
Medshield continues to strengthen the way members access support, with a focus on making services easier to access across digital, self-service and face-to-face channels.
The Scheme has expanded its self-administered servicing capabilities while increasing capacity, strengthening digital capabilities, enhancing processes and investing in training and quality assurance.
Key service enhancements include:
Together, these channels give members greater choice in how they engage with Medshield, whether through digital self-service, WhatsApp or face-to-face support.
“Our 2027 offering is about more than benefits and contributions. It brings together sustainable benefit design, enhanced benefits, improved service and strategic collaborations to deliver greater value and support across every stage of the healthcare journey.
“That is the bigger picture. And it is what being a Partner for Life means to us: understanding what our members need, evolving with them and being there when it matters most,” Aron concludes.
