FedHealth forces 60 year in pandemic to cancel Medical Aid - going back on word.

Review points • 60-year old forced to cancel hospital plan in pandemic • FedHealth going back on word, appropriating funds from a single mother. • Refuses to abide and contravening terms of agreement

o As usual practice, my son received reduced contribution status as an adult dependent. o On 08/01/2020, FedHealth agreed to the reduced contribution until the ‘next review’ (R2773). o Letter confirmation states... ‘The purpose of this letter is to confirm that Fedhealth has agreed, based on the information provided, to extend the Adult Dependant status of the following dependant, until the next review. (Usually in following calendar year) o As my son turned 27 within this month, they’ve now increased payment to R3494!! – without notice. o I raise this as this practice appears as ‘business as usual’. (see explanation below)

I have the situation of being a single mother, self employed (start-up) with a dependent adult son. My son is a sculptor and working diligently to great a market for himself. I have a hospital plan with Fedhealth since 2016. I have used the service once in 2017 for minor situation, and once in 2020 as an outpatient for an eye check up. That's it! To give context to the years I've paid usually around R2500 per month with 2 very minor claims. Fedhealth has certainly gotten their money's worth out of me.

Fedhealth sent me a letter in which they agreed to extend the adult dependent reduced rate for my son, and agreeing to a new reduced rate of R2773 p/m. They also agreed to "to extend the Adult Dependant status of the following dependant, until the next review". Now review date is unless stated otherwise, is based on one calendar year, as the medical aid contributions are one calendar year for renewal.

Twenty days later, having full knowledge of my situation, and that my son turns 27 in twenty days as his date of birth is reflected in this same letter of 08/01/2020 - they then decided to increase my contribution to R3494p/m WITHOUT REVIEW. This was after they said in this same letter that the contribution for an “Adult Dependant status... will be extended to the next review”.

They proceeded to increase my monthly amount to R3494 – an amount that I cannot afford, and will be forced to cancel my contribution at this crucial stage with a pandemic raging. As a close on 60-year old single mother, this is highly concerning for me, and highly frightening too as I am in the COVID-19 high risk bracket. But I will now be forced to cancel my medical aid, as I just cannot afford this high amount. I was just s****ping by with the previous amount of R2773 but paid diligently.

Their call centre representative told me that she'd had this situation before, as it was taken to management who said, that's how it is, and cannot be changed. (I have the screenshot thereof).

Medical aids are a law unto themselves with no compassion for their members. What I want is... 1. To have FedHealth reinstate the original agreed on the monthly rate of R2773 (including point two below). 2. Reimburse me the amount of R2352 as overpayment on this increased contribution. 3 . Failure of which, reimburse me the amount of R2352 - and allow me to cancel my membership with immediate effect - as I cannot pay another increased contribution. 4. Allow my notice period to work itself out, at the original agreed amount - AND reimburse me the amount overpaid.

I trust that my request will be taken seriously by FedHealth - to help out a single month, starting a business and trying to keep the roof over her head at 60 years old in a pandemic. This sirs should give context to my request.