Medical debt not medical aid

Somehow a brace fitted to the neck on the inside, so not removable, that is done in theater on a emergency surgery for a condition that could make my father a quadriplegic is an external additional item over and above the R19 499 odd co payment for having a spinal surgery. Not to mention that if the costs charged is more than what discovery is covering that will be added to the bill. What is medical aid for as it seems we pretty much have to pay it for ourselves. Keeping in mind that this was classified as a emergency surgery by the neurosurgeon and is not an elective surgery. Looks like medical aid is becoming more useless by the day.