FORCED VITALITY MEMBERSHIP FOR DEPENDENTS ON BANKMED / DISCOVERY LIFE / HEALTH

I lodged multiple complaints regarding an issue I have been trying to resolve since the start of October '19 with Discovery Vitality - the forced addition of a dependent to my Vitality rewards programme.

I was advised that I had to join the BankMed Medical Scheme two years ago when I changed jobs to my current Employer; I duly added my spouse as well. In September ’19, I went through the process of adding my Mother as an additional adult dependent on my BankMed Medical Aid with the commencement date as at 1 October ’19. NOWHERE in the BankMed Application that I completed and signed, did it stipulate ANYTHING about my Medical Aid dependents being FORCED to join Discovery Vitality, nor did any of the Consultants advise of such throughout the entire application process.

The responses that I have received when trying to resolve this is that the “System is Linked/Integrated, so my Mother cannot be excluded from Vitality” - when I called in for the 4th time, I was only then escalated to a Team leader who advised me that a process was being implemented within Vitality to de-link Medical Aid dependents from the Vitality programme, Either way, Discover falsely states that BankMed dependents must automatically become a Vitality member on the Principal members Vitality profile. Their own publicly available, AGM letter, stated that BankMed and Discovery Health Medical Scheme are recognised as SEPARATE LEGAL ENTITIES that operate independent of one another as per Discovery's Health (Pty) Ltd. Furthermore, Discovery Group Risk Life Plan Guide, which can be found on Discovery's website states that Discovery Life and Health Members may join Vitality on a voluntary basis and the Member is not forced to take it up since the 'Medical Aid and Life Plan are inter-linked' (as quoted by consultants). It is also important to note that my dependents and I are with BankMed, not Discovery Health Medical Scheme, in any case. If I had full disclosure about this Policy (which I have yet to see) that Discovery implements, about dependents automatically being added to Vitality, I would never have added my Mother as a dependent. She is a senior citizen (66 years old) who is the sole caretaker to my Grandmother and would not benefit from being on Vitality. The lack of transparency and contradiction of Discovery consultants, is appalling and disappointing, considering nobody informed me of the automatic Vitality take up at any stage during my application (contractually or via telephone). I can’t invest in a Financial Institution that I cannot trust to be open and transparent with me. Customer service and satisfaction seems to be very low on Discovery’s priority list, and for that reason, I will NOT RECOMMEND Discovery to anyone!!!!