Pathetic Service from GEMS

I have been with GEMS since 2016. There have always been minor upsets but this year takes the cake. I was on the top option, Onyx, for about 3 years and switched down to Emerald at the end of 2020. Due to the medical needs of my children at that point and the exhausted day-to-day benefits, I had made a request on the 9th of May 2021 to change from Emerald back to Onyx. My request was followed by a number of calls and mails from myself to enquire regarding my application and was met with no response, referrals to the department that would get back to me or a straight no from consultants as option changes had already closed for 2021. I was fed so many different stories by so many different consultants that I even considered leaving GEMS altogether.

I had then made the decision to change from Emerald to Emerald Value and pay whatever is required with doctors out of pocket. I had been on this option from July until 30 September 2021when I shockingly received an email stating that my option had been changed to Onyx as of 1 September 2021. To make matters worse, on the 15th of October I received pocket change from my Nett salary as almost R10 000 was deducted by GEMS. This without any prior communication and a lot of beating around the bush since May 2021. How is it that so many consultants can give a different answer but come to the conclusion that changing to Onyx would not be possible in 2021 and then regardless of my change to a lower option (Emerald Value), I get changed to Onyx with no prior communication and as a bonus have a deduction of nearly R10 000 once off?

I am beyond upset as I have three young children that depend on my income and ability to provide for them. I called on more than one occasion on Friday the 15th of October 2021 and was placed on hold twice by consultants for over 20 minutes only for the line to go dead and absolutely no follow up from them. This is unacceptable, I have had nothing but struggles with GEMS this past year and had it not been for the fact that I had to have surgery the following week I would cancel this nonsense and have everyone know of the poor service offered by the institution.

Had GEMS communicated well in advance and had better communication systems in place, surely I would not be in this situation. Yet, their inability to meet my initial request to change to Onyx, their lack in communication and feedback for 2 full months thereafter, their ignorance of the fact that I had opted to switch to a lower option after your lack of communication and willingness to reconsider, and then their delayed communication once they changed me to Onyx is what led to this situation.

I have since made numerous calls that end in the same way, placed on hold with no follow up. SMS's were sent about 48hour resolutions, still nothing. Emails sent with no response.

I want to be moved back to Emerald Value with immediate effect! GEMS is proving to be more and more *********** and I haven't even begun to disclose my struggles with authorizations. Pathetic!