Buy a voucher, visit the doctor

According to a statement issued by Discovery Health, the first offering will be a R300 voucher for a general practitioner (GP), including the medicines dispensed by the doctor. This voucher can be used at any dispensing GP within the Discovery Prepaid Health network and there is no limit to the number you can buy.

Dr Ryan Noach, CEO of Discovery Health, says Discovery Prepaid Health will broaden access to high quality treatment and medicine. He says Discovery wants the prepaid vouchers to become as universal as buying prepaid airtime.

The Discovery Prepaid Health network includes doctors in the major metros in eight of the nine provinces and will be expanded. People will be able to buy and share the vouchers within 60 seconds and members of the Discovery Health Medical Scheme will be able to buy vouchers for family and friends who are not insured. Employers can also buy them for their employees.

“In South Africa, where only 16% of the population has private medical scheme cover, our research shows that up to 50% of the population chooses to access primary healthcare in the private healthcare sector,” Noach says.

Users of the Discovery Prepaid Health digital platforms will be able to access high-quality, private, primary healthcare at competitive rates, have the option to top-up their balance online or in-store through a large network of retailers, reserve available funds in their digital wallet for future use and receive regular health and wellbeing articles, tips and other information.

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