Discovery Health Maternity Benefit is LOOTING Scheme!

Hi All, I am writing to you with a heavy heart and shock from how the Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) illtreated myself and my partner when it comes to the claims for services we have used and have benefits from. In 2023 April my partner told me that she is pregnant, and we were super happy to know that we are pregnant. After a week or so, my partner reminded me to activate the Maternity Benefit (MB) from DHMS. I went through the Discovery app on its entirety to look for the option for activating this option (please keep in mind I am the main member – I will explain), however, I could not find this option anywhere in this app. I tried various times to call and get assistance over a period of time but failed to reach their service agents to assist and I also tried the Discovery Health WhatsApp and their website, and only realized it was a chatbot and did not get what I was looking for – this was and still is exhausting. In my busy schedule I let this matter slip through the cracks and eventually I went back again trying to resolve the issue by calling and Googling where this option is on the app. I failed and during this time my partner was already busy with her Obstetrics & Gynecology consultations. On the app, I eventually used the Emergency icon to contact their medical emergency services since I could not get in touch with their service agents to ask for help. I explained to them briefly that I needed someone to assist with activating my MB on the app, they forwarded my call to the right department when I spoke to the service agent. I explained to the service agent the above and asked him to assist with this option of activating the MB of the app. The agent also tried to assist, and he eventually said to me over a phone call that he needs to check some reference manual where this option is on their app. He managed to get the section of this reference manual that said or indicated that only my partner can activate this MB via the app. I was shocked and appalled about the shallow design thinking around this. I immediately asked him to explain to me as a client how on Earth was supposed to know this when he himself did not know about this, let alone the fact that he works for Discovery. Fast forward to this, he explained that he will not be able to backdate the claims since I do not have a reference number that indicates that I have been trying to reach them or that I spoke to someone prior to this. I asked to speak to his line manager of which I explained that there is no way Discovery Health would not backdate claims for services I have received when I am paying an exorbitant amount of money just to get a decent service from them. I further explained to her that I will not accept the decision that they can’t pay just because I do not have a reference call to show that I spoke to one of their service agents or tried to reach them back when we discovered that we were pregnant. I explained to her that perhaps she or they as DHMS do not understand that most of us are breaking our pockets monthly so that we can entrust them with giving us services that we deserve in a time of need. In addition to my list of arguments in this lengthy call, I explained to this line manager that there is no way you can omit the functionality from the main/principal member (male or female) not to be able to activate the Maternity Benefit and I highlighted to her that perhaps she goes back and explain this to the decision makers that this is wrong. I mean what if my partner lost her smartphone then what because their website, I could not locate this feature. Moreover, the Discovery Health rejected various claims that they received during this period and I ask, how is it that you reject so many claims on my account without, calling or emailing me to inform me that you have been receiving numerous claims of which we have rejected because it could be *****ulent since I did not have the MB activated and find out whether or not these were legitimate??? The answer to this question is simple – maladministration and business practices. This is a ticket to loot from customers so that come the financial year end, they can celebrate profits with our hard-earned money. I have outstanding claims of more than R 15 000 that Discovery needs to settle. Hello Peter, please help with this, thank you.