Discovery Health Medical Aid
reviews and complaints

Evening, lodging complaint. Name Darryll van Wyk, have had my medical aid 4 over 17 years with Discovery. I was dismissed unfairly from Hulamin and sitting with Ccma currently. What im offended that the medical aid policy was cancelled by the business yet the medical aid belongs to me and I was not notified at all by discovery. I am chronic and now have no access to any medication and I have savings that is valued at over R55000. I was not even given the option to take a reduced package. I want answers as no email, no telephone call nothing and thn I get your personel over the line thay says if im reinstated thn I will have to pay late joining fee now. I will report this to Hello Peter as I am disgusted currently with your service

Telephone [protected] mad as hell currently as hve no access to my medication needed now..

I am solely responsible for all my mothers expenses including her medical aid. She is the main member ([protected]) but I pay the monthly contributions through my bank. I need the tax certificate for my tax return. I am unable to access her online Discovery profile, I am unable to speak to a consultant at Discovery health, I am unable to visit offices of Discovery. I am totally unhappy about the personal service (non-existent) of Discovery health. The Bot cant help, whats app cant help.

Is there any person that still works for their customer care centre?

Regards
Angela Parkinson
[protected]@rusmar.co.za
[protected]

Good day,

I need assistance with Discovery Medical Aid. I have send the below complaint via email on the 26 July 2021, and I received an auto reply email that they will attend to my query within 1 day. To date I haven't heard anything from Discovery regarding my complaint. Below is my complaint to Discovery.

"I have joined Discovery Medical Aid on 01 November 2019 and my debit order was R6474.00 then, and requested that my debit order goes off on the 1st of every month. In May 2021 I received a letter informing me that my premium will increase to R6879 from the 1st July 2021. The 1st of June 2021 my debit order went off accordingly, to my surprise on the 10 June 2021 another debit order went off my account for an amount of R6879.00, I then reversed the debit order because number 1. I did not authorise the debit order and debit order date. Number 2. I did not have that kind of money in my account. To my surprise again, I receive an SMS that my medical aid is suspended, I then queried the suspension with Brendon, it was then resolved my medical aid was reinstated, because Discovery made a mistake on their side, and they did not even know why the debit order went off on the 10 June 2021. What is sad is that Discovery messed my account, I had to pay for that reversal because I did not honour the debit order. For that I did not even get anyone from Discovery to account for it, I left it and carried on with my life, cause what gave me peace was that my medical aid was reinstated.
Now come the 1st of July 2021, no debit order went off. I then thought, because the last month they debited on the 10th it will go off on the 10th. I then received an SMS again on 05 July 2021 that my medical aid is stopped because I did not pay, and received an email as well, that if I do not pay the amount of R6879.00 within 14 days my cover will be cancelled. I really got tired of calling Discovery Medical Aid to remind them of their processes, I told myself that Discovery can go ahead and cancel it as mentioned on the letter. The real sad part of the whole thing is that it is Covid times, and my family does not have a medical aid, just last week I was sick and had to pay cash because my medical aid is suspended and whose fault is it, Discovery. So I got exhausted with calling them all the time when they mess up, I opted to take up another medical which is a less premium. Now this morning I woke up to an email stating that I should pay R13758.00 the 1st August 2021, someone should tell me for what because I have been suspended and currently still is, and according to the email my membership is cancelled after 14 days and it was way pass that.

I am requesting Discovery to sort this mess out urgently, if not I am escalating it to the Ombudsman.

I am highly disappointed by how you treat your clients, if your systems are flawed fix them immediately because you are losing loyal clients. I have been on other medical aids before never had to deal with this kind of incompetence."

This morning I woke up to an overdrawn account with -13758.00, Discovery Medical Aid has debited my account.

Kindly assist me in resolving this matter, have no where to go now.

Kind regards,

Amelia Molope

I cancelled my cover with Discovery a few months ago and was told that the savings would be paid out on the 17 June. Only after I had called to find out what was happening. Still no pay out.
When I call the line either goes dead or I get a very lovely consultant talk to me and then transfer my call to... somewhere... and then the call goes dead. Please help.

I find it appalling that a Medical Aid can force a pensioner, who is struggling to come out each month, to have to pay for a Doctors appointment, when all they require, as dictated by the medical aid, is a copy of their current prescription.
Do those that make these RULES, even consider the patient? Why introduce this senseless rule and make the patients life more difficult when there must be other ways to control those who would abuse the facility. My wife and I must now pay +- R1200.00 instead of R120.00 to get a copy of our prescription! ! !
Is this fair on a person who has been a member for 35 odd years?
An answer will be appreciated.

DJ van Heerden - [protected]

I am long-standing member and my ID number has changed after 1994. As with most ID's the last three digits changed. My ID on your system is still the old one. How do I change it? I can only get compatibilty with Covid-19 vacination with my new ID since this registered with the Department of Health.

I have been paying off my savings accounts since closing my account in 2017 - thats 3 years of paying it off, I have no way of tracking what's been paid up to date and what's still owing. I have been on hold to speak to someone multiple times and just don't seem to be getting anywhere.

If you could please have someone address my issue at your earliest convenience, that would be great.

Thank you

On the 8 February 2021 Nicole Traut came to see me at my work in Centurion regarding Discovery Health Medical Scheme. She was very helpful and kind. I had signed all document and queries she needed from me. On the 12 February 2021 she notify me that her family has mild covid symptons and will contact me soon. 18 February 2021 I ask her to give me feedback what's happening with the delay. 24 February 2021 she told me she will come and see me to sign the last documents. 26 February 2021 she email me the document which I signed and send back immediately 11 March 2021 she needed information about my health. 15 March 2021 I explain to Nicole im under no treatment due to the gallbladder stones I had in September 2019. 23 March 2021 I ask Nicole what is the delay. I haven't heard of her since the 15 March 2021. She replied a person named Corniel van Vuuren was handling the Medical aid and that there has been issues between her and van Vuuren. She was supposed to call but nothing at all. 25 March 2021 I called and spoke to Trish. My ref no: [protected]. Trish calmed me down and reassure me all will work out fine. Nobody had called me since. A few of my colleagues wanted to join me with Discovery, but see how am getting treated they no longer interested. I cannot tell you how disappointed I feel. Its disgusting.

They do not even answer their phones! After 5 failed attempts, and 5 different phone no.s (all of whom, apparently, do not exist), I was put on hold, before being given some women complaining about being busy and asking me to leave a message. But the message box was full. So still no customer care or service. We pay you a damned fortune, Discovery, for very little benefit. So up your game!

Recently applied for 2 x investments with Discovery Vitality health medical aid. It was done on the investments and to no avail. No response from Discovery. I stated my area as requested Bryanston Johannesburg South Africa.

Should I take my business elsewhere, there are many other Companies that would be eager to take my business.

Good Morning
I signed up with Discovery in September 2020, the underwriters diagnosed me with renal/ kidney disease as it showed red flags on a pathology report, a actual doctor with a medical degree has not diagnosed me with any of those conditions other that my thyroid. I requested a refund as I cancelled, I was refunded 1 month and paid two now apparently its the debit order mandate hence why they can't refund me any further yet they won't accept that document if it is not signed. I have been emailing Babongile as he was assisting me in the beginning now he blatantly ignores all my emails. From the start I have been fighting the underwriters. I get told I must go to the Dr to sort it out, why did the underwriters not phone the doctor and do investigation before just assuming I have these conditions due to a pathology report? I was told that they will see if the underwriters can contact me as I stated before I am being blatantly ignored.

Kind Regards
Cindy

Hi

My gp doctor has referred my daughter to a specialist he was monitoring a growth in her breast for the last 2 years unfortunately it has grown, which the specialist also agree that it needs to be removed discovery on the other hand does not believe it needs to be removed unless an biopsy says its cancerous and my medical plan does not cover this code what must we still do to convince these people that the patients health comes first she is 19 years old, if I was on a bigger plan then they would authorize should it not be the other way where the patients health and well being overrides these codes

Membership no [protected]
Ref no [protected]

I am beyond angry with the service received from your banking details department.

I have been trying for a month to get my banking details changed.

I, my partner noel whitehead and our h r department have sent through all the relevant documents... Not just once but half a dozen times, all I get is more and more emails requesting the documents.

Do I have to get in my car and take a drive to the cape and give it to them in their hands.?

Can someone in your organization please show these people how to download attachments from an email as they are obviously incapable.

Please sort this out asap as it is already the 3rd today and the debit should have gone off on the 1st.

HI
to whom it may concern

My wife Mrs S naidoo was in the car crash on the 08/03/2020 and taken to St Augustine's and was discharged on the 22/03/2020, as a result of the cv19 locked down at the hospital as they recorded cv 19 cases.
The therapy sessions was not done after the surgery at the hospital and was required as per treating doctor
I was informed by the treating Dr that, Mrs Naidoo must have the theraphy and that my medical should cover 24 sessions in this case and based on my policy, I then got my my Dr and therapist to write to my medical in this regard and this was rejected.

I need help in this regard

We wish to change the date that our monthly premium debit order is paid out from the 1st of the month to the 10th. We are told that this is only possible if a double premium is paid for the month in question. We are also informed that we may not cancel the debit order in order to pay manually via eft. Another unfair business practise. Why may we not simply change the debit order payment date and for that change month just pay the pro rata difference between the 1st and the 10th of the month on the 10th of that month? What discovery health is demanding amounts to extortion as the month following the debit order date change again debits the full amount and keeps monthly debits going forward at the same rate. Member number [protected]. C rodel

I requested cancellation on my discovery vitality in april already and was told i'll receive a call within 10 days in never happened I sent another complaint then was told 5 days still nothing all I want is to for you to cancel vitality and dont bill me this month I cant afford any luxuries since lockdown I need all the money I can get maybe I will reinstate after lockdown just like when I initially took it I was told I can cancel anytime, its surprising when I took vitality I was called the same day and it was activated now I want to cancel I must wait for how long

Hi

I have lodged a complaint regarding a new dependent added end of March 2020 for which I indicated he must be added from April.

I had a double deduction for the dependent in April and sent an email complaint and confirmed via call centre that he must only be active from the 1st of April.

I did not receive any communication that there will be a double deduction for the dependent and neither have I received any feedback with regard to my query and confirmation that the dependent must only be added from 1 April 2020 and neither whether the additional payment will be reimbursed either to my bank account or via my payment that will be deducted end of April.

Please kindly note that I will only receive 75% of my salary due to lockdown and that my employer is unable to trade and I find that this is an extremely difficult and trying time for everyone in South Africa and am very displeased with the lack of communication from Discovery as they did not communicate the double deduction which had a severe financial impact on me as well as no feedback on what they will do to rectify this matter.

I tried submit a complaint via their website and the website is currently under maintenance and I don't feel it's fair that I have to spend my airtime to phone the CL centre again when I was told they will communicate with me.

I urgently need assistance and a response from Discovery please as this is unacceptable service and I am without a doubt not used to it as I've always had exceptional service from Discovery and now that they double deducted without informing me they don't communicate with me.

My email address is [protected]@gmail.com and my mobile is [protected]

Thank you kindly and I do hope you will be able to assist me asap

Sincerely
Lorette Oosthuizen

Firstly, there is zero useful vitality assistance for queries, beside a 'bot' which is useless. The helpline does not give the required options for queries.

I have an apple watch, and am very it literate so don't need lessons on how to read, synchronise, capture, etc. I know how it all works.
However, I received an email from discovery vitality to say that in january, I reached my goal only two of four weeks, and so will be billed. This is totally inaccurate. I completed all my goals for january.
Secondly, this week, my 50 points due for 5000 to 9999 steps for thursday 6th, will not synch. This is the last 50 I need for my goal, and I am not getting the points due. There is a problem with the synching of apps in vitality, which must be addressed.
Members who work very hard to attain their goals cannot be compromised by bad administration - it is not fair on the members - what are we paying the elevated vitality fee for after all?

I had no idea that some of my chronic meds were coming out of my savings until I had to pay for some of them as I ran out of savings! Discovery changed it without letting me know. This is illegal! I have contacted them several times but the refuse to answer my emails. Now today I received a message from the laboratory that i owe them for my husband's blood test. He is on Warfarrin and for years the tests have come out of chronic now I have to pay for them? I am disgusted that this is the way they are treating us pensioners.

I have been trying to apply for a medical aid with discovery for over a week now and still haven't received a call back from them, then I asked my wife to apply the same thing happened so I want to know why am I not getting a call back regarding my quotation this is really sad for such a big company to have such poor service I hope that aren't people who scam people in taking there money