***BONTAS MEDICAL FUND UNACCEPTABLE SERVICE***

***BONTAS MEDICAL FUND UNACCEPTABLE SERVICE***

On the 15th of December 2020 I received a mail from Bonitas to state that my medical benefits have been suspended since the 1st of December 2020. When I read the email it felt like an electric shock knowing that I didn't have medical cover for the previous two weeks. Had I been in a horrible car accident where I had to be rushed to a private hospital, I would have ended up in a state hospital. With that in mind I was taken to a state hospital in 2018 when the ambulance drivers couldn't find a Bonitas Medical Aid card on me(as it was never sent before then). I was unconscious so they had no choice but to take me to a state hospital. I woke up in a scene of horror as I witnessed the housekeeping and utter unsanitary environment. Something I believe no one should experience. This was pure negligence of not forwarding the necessary accessories to the policy holder.

I contacted Bonitas on the painfully long telephone call directory that you have to go through just to speak to a consultant and advised that I wanted to speak to an HOD. After holding for five minutes I was cut off by the consultant. I tried again and was eventually directed to an HOD. I furiously asked what was going on in their organization that without consultation they can just decide when to put someone's life in danger like that. The HOD said that she would do an investigation and would let me know why this occurred. On the 16th of December 2020 I received another letter form Bonitas to inform me that my benefits have been reinstated. I contacted the HOD of the service department and told her that reinstating my benefits is certainly not good enough and that I expect a letter explaining exactly what made their institution put someone's life in danger without consulting with them after their debit order went off successfully. I phoned again on the 22nd of December to find out about my letter but was told that the HOD had already left on leave. Gob smacked I decided to go on leave and will pursue the case in the next year. In the beginning of the year I tried a few times to get hold of the HOD and with no success. Every call lasting between 5-12 minutes just to be put through to the wrong department or even the wrong scheme entirely. On Friday the 15th Of January I decided to try again and eventually got through to someone that made an effort to assist. She told me that she is forwarding the query to their financial department seeing it was them that needed to respond on it and that she will forward me the query number. All of that she did. Last night 16.01.2020 I received a mail from Bonitas stating the following:

"With reference to your query received, please be advised the membership was suspended incorrectly in December.

We truly apologise for any inconvenience caused."

I am sorry but I cannot accept this response from an institution that has your life in their hands and can decide when and what to cover. It would be ludicrous to think that you pay premiums for medical insurance that you might or might not have.

A simple apology does not remove the risk that I was cast into. Also no mention that I will be credited for the cover they did not provide. ********** to say the least but to accept this is unreasonable. I deserve a better explanation and definitely think that their mindset of "cancellation before consultation" should change immediately.

Furthermore with all of my other policies I get notifications of a increase on premium. Bonitas has failed in that regard too.