Managing Medical Costs and Finding the Right Medical Aid for Pregnant Women

 A Bun in the Oven Means Bills in Your Inbox.

Everyone will tell you that pregnancy is a magical, spiritual journey. It is, but one undertaken with swollen ankles, bouts of nausea and strange cravings as your little miracle starts to take over every aspect of your life.

While everyone will have all sorts of advice, what they don’t often mention is the cost of all the tests, check-ups and check-ins - even before you’re admitted to hospital to have the little one. You may need Medical Aid and Gap Cover - and Hippo has you covered.

Medical Bills Growing as Fast as Your Baby?

MEDICAL AID DURING PREGNANCY

These vitally important healthcare costs can be reduced if you're on the right medical aid in South Africa—one that has taken careful consideration in covering your maternity benefits. Besides the physical growth of your unborn little one - and the resultant lump in your belly, the “lump sums” owed can stack up quickly.

Your emotions are already running amok and no one wants the stress of antenatal financial strain during this rather sensitive time.

By comparing 10 top Medical Aid Schemes side-by-side, you can find the right match for you, and selecting one is easier than choosing a name for your little one.

Standard Plans for many Medical Schemes offer maternity benefits (some hospital plans even have maternity benefits). As with anything, see which suits you and your budget and read the fine print!

• Antenatal Consultations: A specified number of visits to your gynae are covered, some with and some without scans.
• Scans: These are vital milestones during pregnancy. 2 are conducted by a foetal specialist at 12 and 20 weeks. These are essential for checking on baby’s health during the pregnancy and spotting any potential abnormalities. Specialists generally cost a lot of money so expect to pay a bit more.
• Pre-Existing Conditions: If you have one of 271 medical conditions or one of 26 chronic conditions more tests will be required during pregnancy, which can ramp up the costs. Always be honest and disclose these conditions to your Medical Scheme, as they may lead to unwanted complications.
• Blood and Other Tests: The first blood test is the big one. The one that determines that you are, in fact, “with child”. There are more to come though, especially testing glucose levels halfway through the 9 months to make sure the baby isn’t at risk.

As you can see, there are a lot of variables, tests, and procedures which can quickly start costing a lot of money, so the right Medical Aid is critical during your pregnancy and Hippo has a wide array of options to suit your needs and pocket.

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Cravings for the Correct Cover? Hippo’s Got You!

IN-HOSPITAL COVER

Private hospitals are covered by medical aid during the birth procedure of your baby. Most Medical Schemes cover your in-hospital birth, both natural and C-section. This is usually paid from your hospital benefit, but there can be a discrepancy between the in-hospital charges and what your Medical Aid takes care of, which again, is why Gap Cover is often essential.

Gap Cover. So, Your Bundle of Joy Doesn’t Come with a Bundle of Bills.

GAP COVER. A PREGNANCY ESSENTIAL.

Medical Schemes will cover you for a whole lot, but not everything. For this reason and your pregnancy peace of mind, Gap Cover is a smart move. Gap Cover does exactly what it says. It covers the payment gap for any in-hospital shortfall between the rate the Medical Scheme pays and the bills which seemingly keep stacking up. Gap cover usually covers up to 500% of the medical aid rate, which is almost always enough to cover any deficit.

Hippo can get you 4 competitive Gap Cover quotes in minutes from top Insurance Companies.

Baby’s Here! Yikes! Now What?

POST-NATAL CONSULTATIONS

Baby’s home and your life has changed. You’ve chosen a name, made up the perfect bedroom and forgotten what sleep is. Some Medical Schemes will also provide some relief in the form of post-natal consultations. These include 1 visit with a paediatrician and 1 with either your midwife or gynae. Weigh up your options using Hippo comparison tool and find which offers you the best for your needs and budget.

Also, a key thing to remember is to register your newborn as a dependant on your medical scheme, which will increase your premiums. This needs to be done within 30 days of the baby’s birth and the baby is covered under mom’s Medical Aid in the month it is born. The start of a long road of expenses that is part of the joy of parenthood!

9 Months Is a Long Time, but There’s Another Wait to Consider.

WAITING PERIODS

If you’re planning on having a baby, you need to have been on your Medical Aid and Gap Cover for a certain period (usually a year) otherwise waiting periods will apply and your pregnancy will not be covered. This is a rather mundane aspect of a beautiful time in your life, but one that needs careful consideration. So, make sure the right Gap Cover and Medical Aid plan is part of your planning.

Great Things to Know When You Go with Hippo.

Hippo exists to find every South African the best deal that suits their needs, and their pocket.

When it comes to Medical Aid and Gap Cover, pregnancy comes with its own complexities which Hippo aims to simplify for you - one website.

• You provide us with your information once and we’ll keep your personal data safe and confidential.
• We only deal with companies you can trust. Every brand and service Hippo works with is personally vetted by us.
• The price quoted on Hippo is the price you’d pay, even if you went direct. Hippo doesn’t add any commission or mark-up.
• The quoting process is simple, and all on one easy-to-use Hippo website.

Hippo Comparative Services (Pty) Ltd is an authorised financial service provider. FSP Number 16357.