Bestmed yearly increase

   Dear Mr Le Roux  Thank you for reaching out to Bestmed.  While we understand that our increases are higher than some in the sector, Bestmed has implemented theses increase now, to ensure that we only announce single digit increases for our members over the next few years. Furthermore, if you do the comparisons across options, rand for rand, you will find our options and value-added benefits are still very competitive.  One of our key priorities, beyond finding ways in which to deliver value for money options to our members, is balancing the costs of providing extensive coverage, while proactively managing our long-term financial sustainability. In fact, we have seen an industry-wide phenomenon where schemes’ solvency ratios are decreasing, which for many is a direct result of *****, Waste and Abuse (FWA) proliferation, and the rising increase in claims and treatment costs, especially related to oncology and pathology. However, despite these challenges, we have proactively focused on protecting our reserves to ensure our members know we will remain a trusted provider for years to come. Considering all these factors, Bestmed increased its rates with a double digit increase for 2025. The Scheme has maintained a single digit increase for the past six years.   Additionally, in recent years, the cost of healthcare has risen substantially, and medical inflation has, for a number of years, exceeded the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is a major contributing factor in the annual medical scheme increases being higher than the CPI.  Best Regards GM