DISCOVERY'S USE OF THE TERM "BENEFIT" IS EXTREMELY MISLEADING

Discovery Health Medical Aid uses the term "Benefit" very loosely.

My wife and I are on their Priority Classic scheme. In terms of such plan we have an Optical Benefit of R5 000.00 per person for optometrist visits, prescription lenses and glasses etc.

Sounds great right? Well, that benefit, and in fact all "benefits" from Discovery is actually paid out of your Medical Savings Account.

You can imagine our shock when R10 000's worth of our optical "benefit" gets deducted from our Medical Savings account which has effectively exhausted it in the middle of February. Upon calling to enquire, it appears that all of Discovery's "benefits" come out of the Medical Savings Account, where once depleted, you are personally liable for such payments until you reach the above threshold gap.

I find their customer service and guides extremely misleading as it makes no sense how a benefit, with a limit, gets deducted from your savings. Why is there a limit if Discovery isn't actually going to cover the benefit themselves?

Burnt our fingers twice with Discovery Health in as many years. They won't catch us again