DISCOVERY HEALTH - NO COMPASSION NO SCRUPLES

My journey with this so called health care insurer (health is not the word I would use, I would say Stress provider) began in early 2016.

I attempted to join my fiancé's medical aid with my two children from a prev marriage. After about 3 months of "backwards and forwards" we were told that my children could not join unless my fiancé could prove that they were financially dependant on him. At 16 and 19 and both students why would you have to prove this? We were told to go the High Court to prove it. This is a very costly exercise and we couldn't afford to do so. So we opted not to join. (I was retrenched in 2009 and being a widow at the time could not afford medical cover for us and had not been on medical aid since then). My finance and I married later in July 2016.

In July 2017 I decided to join Discovery with my children on my own medical aid and was going to attempt to join my husband's after the run-around we were given.

This process was extremely stressful. Again back and forth with them requesting report after report; 8 months later we became members on Discovery in March, (6th). And this only because one lady at Discovery saw one of my emails and personally assisted me with the paperwork, and my Word was there paperwork! Even she was getting embarrassed by all the requests. Well eventually we on - YAY!

By this time the premium for March (and a full premium even though we were only approved on 06.03.2018) it was only deducted in April so I paid R8464 for March and April.

Then on the 22.03.18 I receive an email from Discovery informing me that my child is turning 21 and on the 01.06.018 the premium would go up from child dependant to adult dependant. Mailref# ********** 081 titled Change in contribution for your dependant who is turning 21. In the letter it states " These changes will happen on 2018/06/01. Also states that I need to notify them by 2018/06/01 if I wish to remove my child and if they don't hear from me they will automatically make the change to adult dependant. This I was happy with Mr Mujeeb Bray.

I check my bank account this morning and they have deducted R6 632.00 which should have been R4 232.00. So I called to query this. I asked to speak to a Manager. This person kept me on hold for 35min and 44 sec and I hung up. He then called back.

My complaint was that I was not notified of the R2400 to be taken off my account for March April and May. He said they made an error when they sent me the email it should not have stated that it would go up on 2018/06/01 but 2018/03/01. Then why was the correct amounts deducted on 01.04.2018? When they picked up the error why did they not inform me? And he says they made another error by not letting me know that the error on their side was that that didn't notify me of the extra premiums for the 3 months.

So I get messed around for 8 months, I pay for 6 days in March when I was not a member, they take off double in April, and in May they take an extra R2400 all without communicating with me and admit they were wrong.

So I requested that they in good faith refund me the R2400 and I pay the increased premium on 2018/06/01 of R5 038.00 which is a large sum to begin with.

We all know that the first 3 months is your general waiting period so this medical aid is not utilised at all. What do they have to loose? R2400? I explained that I did not budget for this and I have R1000 for groceries in my bank account and that the R2400 was kept to feed my family until 25 May, payday.

So to date I have paid Discovery Health R15,100.00 for 3 months of nothing - no refund will be done I was told and I told the Manager that I feel I have severely been mistreated and would rather apply for cover at Momentum Health. He said OK. Does this not tell you how much money they make in that they are prepared to loose a client of R5 038.00 and all I wanted was R2400 refunded to me.

My husband works for an International corporation who are on Discovery. They will be informed as to how staff members families are treated, I hope they will intervene.

In the meantime, my stress begins all over as I now endeavour to search (once again) for a medical aid scheme that will:

a. Treat their clients like gold because without them there would be no income b. Be fair with their clients. When a mistake has been made acknowledge this and help to resolve the situation to the best of your ability whilst ensuring that the customer is satisfied. c. Inform their clients of their intentions, and forcing the client to call in wait 35 minutes on the phone and showing no sympathy (even after admitting they were at fault).

Discovery Medical Aid it is big corporation like yours that make the little people like me loose faith in humanity.