Charlotte Freeman (Accounts Admin Clerk) from Life Groenkloof Hospital doesn't want to refund me my money

Dear sir/madam

I was involved in a quad bike accident on the 22nd of November 2024 during a work year end function. I had a deep cut on the palm of my right hand that needed stitches. I was taken to the nearest private hospital by my senior colleague.

The hospital that I was taken to was Mediclinic Muelmed in Pretoria. As the injury needed urgent attention, I thought that the medical aid would pay for everything. However, upon my arrival, I was told that it was not as I thought and that I would have to pay for everything out of my personal account as my medical aid option didn’t qualify at Muelmed and that I didn’t have enough medical savings. I paid for the consultations at Muelmed and for the other expenses out of my personal account. The doctor at Muelmed examined my wound and told me that it would need a specialist ( orthopaedic specialist) and that I would need to be transferred to another hospital that takes my medical aid option of “discovery essential delta saver” for in-hospital admission.

The hospital that I was transferred to using an ambulance was Life Groenkloof Hospital. I was supposed to meet with an orthopaedic specialist called DR J Hiddema at Life Groenkloof Hospital. A hospital bed was even prepared for me for in-hospital admission. However, upon my arrival, I was provided with a general practitioner to treat my wound. Nothing was explained to me on my arrival about any change of plans. The in-hospital recommendations that were made by the doctor from Muelmed were not adhered to and everything was done out of hospital without explaining anything to me. Even the Workmen’s Compensation Fund Act, which is something that I was not privy to before the accident, was not explained to me. I was surprised after receiving stitches that I had to settle a bill. I thought that everything was done as in-hospital based on the recommendations of the doctor from Muelmed Hospital. I decided to also settle the outstanding bill at Life Groenkloof Hospital from my personal account.

In light of the above, I was not happy that I had to pay for everything out of my own personal account and that is when I started reading about the Workmen’s Compensation Fund Act. I informed my employer that I would like to claim under it. My employer provided me with the forms (WCL.4 First Medical Report – Annexure C) to provide to the hospitals that I had engaged with. According to my knowledge, after some back and forth, Groenkloof hospital decided to complete the forms. However, when I asked them to refund me the money that I paid the bill out of my personal account they refused. In fact, it is their Account Admin Clerk called Charlotte Freeman that is refusing to do so. I don’t understand why she has it in for me.

The amount claimed by Life Groenkloof Hospital was R1,488.83 and the money paid from my medical savings was R9.54. I had to settle the difference of R1,479.29 from my own personal account. I want the amount of R1,479.29 that was paid from my personal account to be refunded. However, Charlotte Freeman is extremely adamant that everything was paid by the medical aid even after I provided her with evidence.

All I want is for Life Groenkloof Hospital to refund me the money that I paid from my personal account so that their invoice can be submitted to the compensation fund for settlement, as my employer is actually the one that needs to take care of all my hospital bills via the compensation fund.

I trust that the above is in order.

Yours faithfully Thabo Shaba