Neglect from Marais hospital to take responsibility

On 5 November 2025 my mother, Mrs TA van Rooyen, ID ***, was admitted to the Eugene Marais Hospital. She is 81 years old. Because she did not feel well, at this age no chances can be taken and she had for a while, problems with her blood pressure.

When she was admitted the normal routine was followed by the hospital with admissions. They got authorization from Gems for the admission. Dr Prinsloo was assigned to attend to my mother's care in hospital.

The dr decided to do more tests on my mother and she had to stay longer. My mother phoned me immediately raising her concern that GEMS only authorized her stay in hospital for one day. I phoned Eugene Marais hospital and requested to speak with the sister in charge. I indicated to her that my mother's hospital authorization was only for one day and expressed our concern that there will be a problem if the CURRENT hospital authorization is not extended by GEMS. The sister told me that we don't need to worry about it because it is part of the Case Manager's job to ensure that any hosp authorizations are intact and any extensions will be communicated from the hospital to the medical fund. I also spoke to the doctors room and they also told me that she need not to worry.

My mother was discharged on 8 November 2025. Shortly thereafter she received the hospital invoice and she was told that she has to pay an amount of R 4 974.43 which GEMS did not pay and if she does not pay it they will sue her. She got so frightened by this conversation that she paid immediately. WHAT A WAY TO TREAT AN 81 YEAR OLD LADY. SHOCKING!!!!

My mother followed it up with GEMS and they told her that she only got authorization for one day's stay in hospital, which means that the hospital did NOT do their job to request extension of the authorization as discussed with them initially. They work according to the information on their system.

Since then my.mother tried to get a refund without any assistance. Both from the doctors room as well as the hospital. For an 82 year old pensioner, that is a lot of money. But who cares. Nobody. The level of service delivery is a disgrace.

My mother was send back and forth from the doctor's room to the accounts department and GEMS and back. Both parties indicated that she has to contact GEMS to get it sorted, BUT HOW CAN GEMS SORT IT OUT, IF IT IS THE HOSPITAL WHO DID NOT DO THEIR JOB AND REQUEST EXTENSION OF THE HOSP AUTHORIZATION?

The medical aid paid based on what was authorized and submitted by the hospitals. How can THEY, pay back my mother for the payment she did when there is no authorization.

I, as her eldest son, has no alternative but to intervene to assit her to get this matter resolved. One again it is shocking and the public should be made aware of this.