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When it comes to medical aid, most of us accept the status quo, both in terms of how medical schemes operate and what they offer. However, following Sanlam’s endorsement of Fedhealth as its preferred open medical scheme partner, the two organisations have come together to ask: is there a better way?
In response to this, they’re on a mission to revitalise medical aid as we know it, with a reimagined scheme aimed at embodying five core values: affordability, customisation, inclusivity, simplicity and trust. The new scheme is set to launch in October and will be available to join from January 2026.
What is it that truly adds value when it comes to medical aid?
The best way to answer this is to examine the frustrations South Africans currently face with their medical aid cover. For many, some common themes emerge, such as it’s too expensive, too rigid, or too complicated.
In direct response to these concerns, Sanlam and Fedhealth have decided to reboot medical aid as we know it, introducing an updated scheme that embodies a fresh set of values that reflect what South Africans want and deserve from their medical aid.
So, what are these values, and what do they look like in real life?
Meet five South Africans whose everyday lives reflect exactly what this scheme is aiming to solve.
1. Affordability: Meeting the budget constraints of a university student
Twenty-year-old Zintle Dlamini is studying for a diploma in Business Studies at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha. She juggles two part-time jobs, and with her parents unable to provide extra financial support, there’s unfortunately no budget for her to be on a top-tier medical aid plan. And while she’s young and otherwise healthy, Zintle was born with asthma and needs occasional medication and regular check-ups – so a medical aid plan is a must-have.
Thanks to the new scheme’s focus on affordability – with flexiFED Savvy, South Africa’s most budget-friendly hospital plan for under-35s, as a prime example – Zintle can access the cover she needs for her specific health issues without putting too much pressure on an already tight budget.
“A student budget doesn’t stretch far, but this makes me feel like I don’t have to choose between my meds and my groceries,” she says.
But affordability isn’t just important to students – it matters to everyone. That’s why this reimagined scheme is making affordability for all members a cornerstone of its new approach – wherever you are in life.
2. Customisation: Helping a freelancer manage occasional health flare-ups
Nabeel is a 35-year-old self-employed graphic designer living in Woodstock, Cape Town. He’s active and usually in great health, but his lower back occasionally flares up as a result of an old running injury, requiring the odd session with a physiotherapist or biokineticist.
This is where customisation of medical aid comes in. With the ability to tailor a plan that matches his lifestyle and budget, Nabeel can pay for the benefits he currently needs, with the option to scale up to a more comprehensive plan if his needs change.
The reimagined scheme, for example, uniquely offers members access to back-up day-to-day savings on some of its flexiFED hospital plans, as well as the chance to upgrade to a higher option with better benefits any time of the year should a life-changing event – such as a serious illness – occur.
“It’s flexible,” he says. “I finally feel like I’m paying only for the specific health coverage I need for my current situation.”
3. Simplicity: Raising a family means life is complicated enough
Melissa and Doug Daniels live in Johannesburg with their seven-year-old twins. Between school runs, work schedules, and family logistics, life is complicated enough, and they simply don’t have the time or energy to decode complicated medical aid terms.
This was the case last year, when Melissa spent hours trying to understand why a claim for her son’s occupational therapy had been rejected. To this day, she still doesn’t have a clear explanation.
With the rebooted medical scheme’s commitment to simplicity – especially its emphasis on making its digital channels as user-friendly and effective as possible – the Daniels family can focus less on decoding jargon and more time on being present for their kids.
“It’s refreshing,” says Doug. “We know upfront what we’re covered for, and it’s explained in plain language. It’s a relief that there are no nasty surprises and weird exclusions. And we can easily hop online between school runs to manage our family’s medical aid.”
4. Inclusivity: Making medical aid more accessible for more South Africans
Maria is 53 and works as a preschool teacher in Rustenburg. She lives with her adult daughter and two grandchildren, and until recently, she had never been able to afford medical aid. Her income is steady but modest, and traditional medical schemes always felt like they were designed for people in corporate jobs with higher salaries.
With Fedhealth and Sanlam’s rebooted offering – which features a wide variety of differently structured medical aid plans at varying price points – and plans such as the flexiFED Elect excess options which comes with a 25% discount, she can finally afford a plan that suits her.
With a scheme designed to welcome diverse families and income levels, Maria is finally part of the fold. “For the first time, I don’t feel like medical aid is only for the wealthy,” she says. “It feels like it’s for me too.”
5. Trust: Managing the worries of the sandwich generation
Sipho and Lerato, both in their mid-40s, are raising three teenagers in Durban while also caring for Sipho’s elderly mother. They’ve had bad experiences with medical aid providers in the past – from benefits suddenly disappearing, to claims taking months to process, to confusing terms and conditions that left them worried about whether they were adequately covered.
With the revitalised scheme’s emphasis on transparency and reliability, including its ability to upgrade at any time during the year should life happen, trust is no longer something they have to worry about. “We don’t have time to second-guess our medical aid provider,” says Lerato.
“We need to have the comfort that when we need help, it’s there. That kind of trust is everything when you’re looking after children as well as ageing parents.”
These five stories reveal a deeper truth: many South Africans need medical aid but find the available coverage options confusing and limiting.
Addressing these frustrations through its five core values, Fedhealth and Sanlam’s updated scheme offers more than just a medical aid – it provides reassurance that you can get on with your life, knowing your medical needs are covered.
Brought to you by Sanhealth.
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