Seems Covid has left even the biggest companies with terrible service.

I have been with Discovery Health now for a few years and never had any issue with Doctor referrals with specialists. You make the appointment, the doctor contacts Discovery and you get your reference number within a day or 2 via SMS and email. So contacted my doctor to tell him that I did not get my referral number yet as they send him one too. So I was advised to phone Discovery. Spoke to an agent and her response was that the doctor used the 2020 form instead of the 2021 form. I then told her its strange since I have signed for my doctor to use the online system almost 3 years ago so what form are they talking about? She then escalated the call. Received a phone call now from another agent that told me that the doctor did not specify current treatment or past treatment and so it was also denied. Also under reason, he put Not applicable. Spoke to him and he told me that he never had to put in those details. Told the lady that if referral was declined then why was neither me or my doctor contacted that it was denied so we could rectify this. She then told me it was already declined at the doctor's office which makes sense how? I spoke to my doctor and he checked his emails and the Discovery system and no where did it show declined. It did just say registered the 13 April 2021 thus meaning that the agent was talking bull. I now have an appointment, paid for accomodation and 2 days to get approval since I dont live in Cape Town where the specialist is. Lies upon lies upon lies. What terrible service and bull**** from oone of the biggest medical aids out there.