Message from our Principal Officer : Lee Callakoppen
South Africans are struggling financially due to market volatility , rising unemployment and declining incomes . This is made worse by spiralling utility costs , load shedding and fuel increases .
When income is stretched , decisions on where to spend and save become critical , including whether or not to spend your hard-earned income on private healthcare . As a medical aid , we need to be innovative and nimble with our healthcare offerings , to provide you with quality healthcare at affordable prices .
That said , we are extremely excited about our product offering for 2024 . We have taken great care to balance our benefit enhancements to provide value to our members , while ensuring contributions remain affordable . With our weighted average increase of only 6.9 % for 2024 , we are proud to say that Bonitas has the lowest increase of the large open medical schemes – without any benefit reductions .
I ’ m also proud to say that we that we have introduced membership numbers for life . This means your current membership number will remain your membership number for as long as you are a Bonitas member . Even if you change options , this membership number will remain yours . On page 20 we answer some frequently asked questions about the membership for life number .
The festive season is around the corner and temperatures will soar . We have included some tips on how to have a happy , healthy summer . This includes ways to avoid dehydration and what to eat to beat the heat . Read more about these from pages 8 through to 11 .
And should you run into any emergency situation , know that as a Bonitas member , we have you covered and that you can rely on Bonitas SOS to assist . On page 21 you can read more on what our emergency medical services benefit includes and what you should do in a medical emergency .
Some of the highlights for 2024 include : The increased Benefit Booster , the new Be Better Benefit , Mother & Child Care Benefit , the addition of emergency room consultations and our Mental Health programme across all plans . To read more about our benefits and enhancements for 2024 , please refer to pages 12 to 19 .
I hope you manage to have some good rest and relaxation during the holiday break and that you are able to recharge and return in the new year with renewed energy . As for the Bonitas team , we look forward to providing you , our valued members , with another year of affordable , quality healthcare .
We wish you and your loved ones a happy and healthy 2024 !
Lee
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Bonitas Member Magazine Issue 4 | 2023