Discharged due to no beds at hospitals as a result of COVID19 but Discovery refuses to pay

On 20 July 21, I was admitted to the hospital for pain.

My doctor indicated that I would need to be admitted to the hospital but, about 4 hours later, I was told that there were no beds available due to the influx of COVID19 patients. They contacted 2 other hospitals in the city and they respectively had 4 and 8 beds available but kept these for COVID19 patients. After the back and forth of calling other hospitals, my Dr indicated that I would need to go home due to the non-available beds at hospitals and that she would monitor me. Two weeks later, I started receiving invoices as my medical savings was used up. I received invoices for bloods, a COVID test, the hospital visit, medications, radiology etc. Needless, to say I was charged interest.

I called the Discovery contact centre and narrated that I was discharged from the hospital due to the non-availability of beds. I was told to fill in a form and submit it to Discovery. The form was submitted and I was told that my medical savings is depleted. However, being on Discovery for the past 10 years and on the same option for 8 years, I know the medical aid option and its limitations significantly well. However, I was absolutely appalled that by no fault of my own and during a stressful time health-wise. That the very medical aid that is supposed to help during these times was not willing to pay for a hospital stay where I was told to go home without being given any other option.

At no stage did the consultant of the contact centre offer any resolution, assistance or advice to getting my claim re-evaluated as a hospital stay.