Terrible Medical aid who don't plan for things going wrong

I am terribly disappointed in Bonitas that they didn't plan this transition to the new administration company better.

She was planning to go to the hospital on 1 June. The neurologist said that they had to wait until a bed was available before they app**** for authorisation.

We waited at the hospital for 5hours before going home.

It all started on 20 December 2025. She had vertigo and spinning in her head.

I had taken her to hospital and she was admitted. Dr Devchand (the neurologist) attended to her. See had crystals in her right ear and on the 22nd discharged. The neurologist gave her exercises to do if it recurs.

I think in March she was feeling unsteady and did the exercise. She got severe vertigo in her left ear. She has also been having headaches since then, and everything sounds loud. She also has trouble with her eyes, overly sensitive.

She has been to the GP twice since then and went to visit the ENT specialist (Dr Honnet Authorisation number ***) on 19 May. He confirmed that it wasn't crystals this time. He referred her to another Neurologist in Durbanville, but he could not see her because he was going on holiday.

So he referred her back to dr Devchand. We went there on 28 May (Authorisation number ***). She decided that my wife needs to be taken up in hospital. She doesn't have a life. She is lying down and is only up for half an hour at the time. Getting these terrible headaches (which she is not used to getting). I am so scared that she will get a stroke or has a brain tumor.

She also went for an eye test on Saturday. She doesn't have glaucoma and the nerves are also fine.

Normally you could apply for it online. The new web site had that facility, but I couldn't apply for my wife. So she had to give me approval. But the approval meant that she had to register. Only members can register. So I reverted to a Whatsapp line for assistance - what a joke!

So now the approval function isn't there anymore.

So today I wrote an e-mail to ***

Hi

***

I would like to make a hospital reservation for my wife :

Maria Dorothea van Rooyen ID : *** 08 2 Beneficiary code : 01 Hospital Name : Blaauwberg Netcare Hospital Practice no : *** Specialist : Dr Dinita Devchand Practice no : *** Condition : R27.0 Ataxia Date of admission : 2026/06/06 (ASAP)

Regards Leon

I also attach the referral letter from dr Honnet to dr Terblanche.

Dear Dr Terblanche,

One of your old patients, Mev van Rooyen, came back to us following two episodes of what was probably BPPV in the last 6/12, fully resolved after Rx with Dr Carol Goedhals. She no longer has vertigo, and her vitamin D level is normal.

She is, however, still complaining of some unsteadiness and fear of falling

Bilateral ‘tired’ legs, sometimes so weak that she has to lie down to rest, extreme fatigue,

As well as bilateral hyperacusis with her TV on normal levels, and burning pain in both her eyes

You saw her in 2024 for peripheral neuropathy that she says was a side effect of her cholesterol medication. MRI brain was normal, but showed some incidental mucosal thickening and air-fluid levels in her paranasal sinuses. You referred her to Dr Mike Broodryk, who asked me to see her. She does have mild chronic rhinosinusitis, but this is well-controlled with saline rinsing, Iliadin, Rinelon & Rupanase, and does not need further investigation. She is also now taking Prolia for osteoporosis

I can find no signs of peripheral or central vestibular disease, but suspect that her symptoms are due to worsening of peripheral neuropathy. While she was admitted in 12/2025 for one of her BPPV episodes, another MRI brain was done (at Centric/Morton, all normal). And some bloods, including TSH 5.99 and anti-TPO 10.

We discussed possibly doing an out-patient contrasted thin slice MRI IAMs/CPAs before referring to you, but she was hoping that you may be able to admit her for further workup? Please let me know your thoughts

Kind regards,

Dr SM Honnet

ENT

Blaauwberg Netcare Hospital

Regards Leon