Medical aid claims

I am being made to pay a claim because I did not get a reference number (some form of punishment) , I recently moved to a new town and before I knew it we were on lockdown, I had an emergency with terrible lower abdominal pains with a histry of ovarian cyst which discovery had not been covering as I had to be on a waiting period which lapsed a month ago now, so having that in mind, I had to rush to the nearest Dr I could get due to pain, I landed at a gynaecologist who attended to me and now I am on treatment. Today I received an email from discovery saying they will not cover the claim from the gynaecologist because I did not get a reference number from them. For crying out loud who thinks of a reference number while in pain and agony worse of you are even on lockdown.

I had been paying cash for my condition now I expect the medical aid to cover that since the waiting period lapsed, worse of in this pandemic they should not expect an emergency to first come with a reference number. I paid cash upfront at the gynaecologist which is a compulsory fee I paid my monthly medical aid and now I have to pay this because I did not get a reference number is this a punishment for the money we pay monthly.

Do we as clients even penalise you for contacting us when you need business?

This is uncalled for I expect @Discovery Health to re-look at some situations and act swiftly in a more human manner, and not exploit their clients.