doctors and suppliers don't want to deal with medshield anymore and we suffer

So for 2020 my parents medical ad has gone up to nearly R10k per month. They are on the medibonus plan for two people. For most people in this country that is more then they earn in a month. For others that is what they pay for a bond for the month. The beauty part is whichever doctor my parents visit, they tell them they are not contracted to Medshield and that they should pay cash and then claim back. When you're paying THAT amount, we don't actually have the funds to pay cash for their doctor's visits. My parents are pensioners. They don't have a credit or debit card and can't afford cash.

What has really hit us hard is my father is 79 and severely diabetic. He has close to no eyesight left, an amputated leg, is heard of hearing and gets by with hearing aids in both ears and has aeschemic heart disease. He MUST visit the diabetic clinic periodically, as they run tests on ALL his functions and ailments and keep his situation in check. From the beginning of last year, medhshield's agreement with the diabetic clinic came to an end and now visits by patients have to be paid in cash and they have to claim back.

We are paying TEN THOUSAND RAND A MONTH. Medshield, we cannot afford to pay the diabetic clinic and my father HAS to go there. SORT THIS OUT.

We cannot move to a different medical aid as my parents both are aged and ill, and moving schemes would mean a waiting period which we cannot risk. It's almost as if we are being held ransom by this scheme. My parents need a medical aid due to their situation but this medical aid doesn't seem to be one doctors want to deal with. Even the ophthalmologist, who we used to accept the medical aid no longer does, and expects my parents to pay cash and claim back. What is the point of paying this amount and having this medical aid if you have to pay cash everywhere anyway and eventually wait to be paid back...and not even the full amount?

Their monthly premium goes up by nearly 20% annually. This is highway *******.

If you are joining a new medical aid, look at ones that doctors want to deal with and one that doctors prefer to be contracted to, otherwise you are burning yourself with exorbitant premiums and limited cover.

We need help with this scheme urgently.