Disgusted with Discovery Health!!!

An email I received from Discovery on the 9th of January 2021 claimed that have not received a reference number from Discovery for the specialist in December 2021, but I have indeed received an authorisation letter from them and attached the document as proof on the email reply I sent 11 January 2021. The reference number on the approval form is: ***8.

I received that document from DIscovery after countless back and forth emails and me having to visit the GP time and again for extra details to be completed on the Keycare GP to Specialist referal form to obtain authorisation from Discovery to see a specialist. I was then granted the authorisation to see Dr Variava during the month of December (1Dec 2020- 31 Dec 2020) I managed to get a consultation date and had to pay the R800 cash upfront which I would then need to claim back from Discovery and which I have subsequently done.

Mind you I searched for full-service Doctor on their Keycare Network as I would usually do being under the Keycare Plus option then and they gave me Dr Variava. Please note this that: I logged onto the Discovery website with my credentials and searched for an ENT that uses Keycare plus option and thus found Dr Variava. This is one of the main reasons I left Discovery. You give your clients the run around. We go from pillar to post to get the documents and correct processes in place. Do most of our own darn admin but when it comes to payment to the clients or the medical professionals you seem to have an issue.

I have also escalated this matter to their keycareescalations department, received some good correspondence on attending to the matter and a commitment to pay out the funds into my Nedbank account, still waiting for that pay- out.

I am quite disgusted in the service I received from Discovery Medical aid, who I must add have always received their FULL premiums on time every month. A I have now had 3 valid communications plus a telephonic call from them that they will pay the claim amount pertaining to my cash payment for the consultation fee into my Nedbank account which was another hassle having to complete “change in banking details forms.”

I am still waiting on my claim pay out which I was to receive days ago as per Discovery Medical Aid’s consultant's telephonic explanation. As per the consultant an immediate payment was done into my account. The call was on 19 January @ 11:34am.

It is all good when you deduct our premiums but when service delivery needs to happen then you look for unnecessary and ********* delays or ways of not owning up. I am thus now forced to make this unprofessionalism known on all public platforms.