LB
Lee B

1 reviews | Active since Oct 2013

19 Sept 2025, 12:43

Useless! Non exist cover which feels like some sort of scheme.

I was convinced by the broker that Discovery Medical Aid Smart Essential Plan is a great hospital plan, which will cover me 100% for hospitalization if need be, provided that I utilize hospitals on their smart network and doctors who are contracted to Discovery, but I feel as though it's NOT true (feels like a **** to me) because they make it virtually impossible to use the medical aid, for which I pay R 2100.00 per month in VAIN!!! Discovery has issued me with a list of doctors on their panel, yet none of them practice at any of their smart hospitals! If the list of doctors available to one, does NOT ALIGN with the hospitals available to one, then it places people at an IMPASSE.... One does NOT actually receive the benefit of utilizing the plan, alternatively one ends up making huge co payments either way, ie. Either we carry a huge portion of the hospital cover,.or a huge portion of the doctor's bill, so either way we are indebted and subsequently sabotaged from utilizating the medical aid plan fully! It feels like buying into a some sort of scheme. I have an approved hospital admission, yet after two weeks of suffering with pain and calling Discovery daily to get assistance in finding a doctor who is on their panel, who actually practices at a hospital on their panel, I am no further advanced! Staff are pretentious & fail to return calls! They simply forward a REDUNDANT list of specialists & hospitals, expecting the ill patient to call at least 10 doctors in an attempt to pair/match them with smart hospitals (of which pairing ought to specified on their list accordingly) only to find that some of the doctors ought NOT to be on the list, since they no longer live & practice in the province, leaving almost no options and/or availability of doctors practicing at smart hospitals, available to us. The doctors who are on the list, don't practice at the hospitals that we are obligated to use. And the hospitals that we are obligated to use, do not have doctors on the Discovery List. It's a literal mess that sick patients are expected to navigate their way through... Like searching for a needle in a hay stack. Their lists are not updated and if the staff can't figure out which doctors on their list practice at hospitals on their list (they are clearly confused and while they search their system with one on hold, it's very time consuming), then how do they expect patients to know? It's information which should be readily available to patients on a proper, prepared list, matching contracted doctors to the respective smart hospitals, yet they make it become a huge search and "rescue" mission for patients. After several calls yesterday and half my day wasted on calls to Discovery, I was promised call backs from Liana and of course, Zaheera was rather unwilling to oblige. I spoke to at least 7 different people for each call that I had to make, because they tactfully drop the calls. Still, nobody was able to assist, so I can't get medical care/cover from the medical aid that I pay for.. Yesterday was yet another excruciatingly painful (and wasted) day, failing to get results from Discovery! It's led me to question what is the point of paying for a hospital plan which is designed to make it impossible to utilize? Well, Liana asked me to hold for a short while for her, since she needed to establish something in order to assist me, only to transfer me to another department without any fore warning, which was a means of dismissing me and passing the buck! She was then sent an email requesting to call me back, but until now, she has not done so, and I am no further advanced. There are absolutely no benefits to having this medical cover! Discovery customer care service is absolutely pathetic! It's simply a money making scheme! Discovery has the audacity to respond to complaints posted on this forum, stating that they will investigate and revert to clients, yet fails to do so, rendering their undertakings, as lies.. they have NOT even contacted me concerning my previous complaint posted herein. It's a nightmare dealing with them. They fail to serve and I will now post complaints on X and every other social media platform before canceling the cover. It's as good as I've just donated money to Discovery!

0
Replies (5)
Discovery Health
Discovery Health's reply19 Sept 2025, 12:47
Official
Dear Lee B

We’ve noted your concerns and we’re investigating the matter. We’ll contact you with feedback as soon as possible.
 
Regards 
Discovery Health Servicing Team
LB
Lee B's update19 Sept 2025, 13:32
Reviewer Update
Same old bull **** lie!!!
LB
Lee B's update01 Oct 2025, 14:59
Reviewer Update
*** is the call ref for my call to Discovery whereby Avela Chemane promised to call me back on Monday (two days ago) but to date, has not done so.. Gabriel called me on Friday 26 September, advising that I should wait until Avela Chemane, or Stabile, who was allegedly handling the hellopeter complaint , call me back... They were to source a doctor who is willing to tend to my admission at one of their smart hospitals.. that has not happened! I have not heard from Discovery since Friday and the issue is no further advanced! Discovery does not care and simply lies to keep up a facade!
Discovery Health
Discovery Health's reply02 Oct 2025, 13:32
Official
Dear Lee B

We are busy investigating your query and will contact you soon.

Regards 
Discovery Health Servicing Team
Discovery Health
Discovery Health's reply08 Oct 2025, 10:32
Official
Dear Lee B

We have been in touch with you to answer your comments.

Regards 
Discovery Health Servicing Team