I refuse to apologize for feeling sad once in a while and not running to tell you.

I recently submitted a medical aid claim to Discovery Health after being admitted in hospital for depression. Before seeking medical attention, I was not aware that I had any symptoms of depression. In my culture (being the ‘strong’ Black woman that I am), things such as depression are not tolerated as we are encouraged to always be strong. There’s no knowledge about how one can deal with life’s struggles hence it was difficult for me to know what I was going through. On the 22nd of September 2018 I felt as though I am not coping any longer with life to a point where I struggled to even breath properly. That’s when I was rushed to Castenhof Hospital where I was given medication to calm down of which I can’t remember what the medication was due to the state I was in. The next day after being admitted, 23 September 2018, I woke up with the same amount of pain if not more and this was all foreign to me; I thought the only way out was to take all the medication and end my life. I took the pills given to me the day before; one pill turned into two, two turned into four, all this was to numb the pain, but the pain got too much I ended up overdosing. I just wanted to die as I thought there would be something for me Beyond. Before a claim can be accepted at Discovery Medical Aid, a trauma Doctor I have never met before in my life concluded that I was suicidal for ‘months’ although life really hit me on the 22nd of September 2018 when I was admitted at the hospital. For this reason (from an unknown trauma Doctor) who asked me questions when I was extremely disoriented after the ordeal, Discovery Medical Aid refuses to pay the Hospital bills worth R30 000 plus as they say I failed to disclose that I suffered from depression whereas I was only diagnosed the day I was admitted. I’m appalled by this as they never hesitated to accept the monthly premiums I paid but when I need this organisation the most, they reject my claim. Is this how they treat their most vulnerable clients? I am currently receiving further treatment from the multi-disciplinary team at the Netcare Jacaranda Hospital in Pretoria. Their treatment has truly helped me greatly mentally and to function normally but since Discovery Medical Aid took the opportunity for me to get extended assistance, it’s been tough to survive to a point where I haven’t even gone back at work yet. In conclusion, this is a request to get assistance in holding Discovery Medical Aid responsible to pay what is due in terms of my hospital costs for me to get the help that I so much need. And when I spoke to Mr Ravin I told him how this makes me suicidal he still let me walk out of his office like it’s nothing; told me I can appeal but my case is weak,, I felt so bul****!