Bonitas - Does not care about members

Telecoms with Bonitas agents was utterly useless in gaining any direction on this matter. The overall impression I am left with, is that Bonitas is actively avoiding registration of PMB conditions and subsequent treatment. On a previous matter, I was diagnosed with heart disease for which Dr T(Cardiologist) sent in the PMB request on 28/07/2022. The matter was apparently only given attention by Bonitas in February 2023 as I only received the treatment plan in a communication dated 09 February 2023. In the meantime I was forced to pay the specialist out of pocket, which according to me is totally wrong since according to the act regulating PMB’s, the medical aid is supposed to cover the cost of diagnosis and treatment of a PMB event.

I have developed a new situation wherein I am suffering from severe symptoms associated with a problem with my cervical vertebrae. As per MRI report there is significant narrowing of the spinal canal amongst other issues with degenerative disease of the cervical vertebrae causing severe and debilitating pain and can cause long term unrepairable damage.

This was communicated to Bonitas more than a month ago and I was notified that their PMB department has a turnaround time of 20 working days. Again it is up to the member to follow up and still, a month later there is no feedback, no way of communicating directly to the PMB administrator. Every call will end with - "We will get back to you".

I believe Bonitas is actively avoiding their responsibility's. Looking at the amount of complaints here, I am certainly not alone in this situation. This is company sitting on literally Billions of rands in member contributions and yet they are bluntly ignoring their customers and expecting a "sorry for the inconvenience" is good enough. They are not selling trinkets, they are dealing with people's lives and health and long term well being. The way they act is simply absurd. It seems that they have completely forgotten the fact that they are governed by laws amongst which the law on Prescribed Minimum Benefits. They are bargaining on the fact that most of us (their members) alone can not take them on legally. The only way to address their continuous disregard and disrespect for the very members who they are supposed to serve will be through legal action by a large group of members who are fed up. I have seen a new group on Facebook - Bonitas Potential Class action. Please join there if you are equally fed up.