Photo: amanderson2, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0Compare medical aid schemes 2026
Cheapest medical aid in South Africa 2026? Compare 13 schemes' lowest and highest published contributions
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Every scheme's lowest- and highest-priced option in 2026
Monthly contribution for a main member, from each scheme's own 2026 table (links in the last column; seen 31 October 2026). Ordered by the lowest published contribution — a price, not a judgement of cover. Restricted schemes are marked; their figures are before any employer subsidy.
| Scheme | Who can join | Lowest-priced option | Main member a month | Priced by income? | Highest-priced option | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Momentum Medical Scheme | Open | Ingwe (lowest income band, Ingwe Network or any hospital) | R645 | Yes, on Ingwe | Summit — R16,469 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
| Bankmed | Restricted (banking employers) | Essential Plan (lowest income band) | R893 | Yes, on five plans | Plus Plan — R9,644 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
| Profmed | Restricted (professionals) | ProSelect Savvy (household income up to R20,000) | R1,078 | Only ProSelect Savvy | ProPinnacle — R14,634 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
| Fedhealth Medical Scheme | Open | flexiFEDSavvy Hospital Plan ("from") | R1,155 | No (myFED is: R1,719 – R4,052) | maxima PLUS — R19,393 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
| Bonitas Medical Fund | Open | BonCore | R1,275 | No (BonCap is: R1,730 – R4,177) | BonComprehensive — R12,509 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
| Discovery Health Medical Scheme | Open | KeyCare Start Regional (lowest income band) | R1,278 | Yes, on KeyCare (Active Smart R1,350 for everyone) | Executive — R12,338 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
| POLMED | Restricted (SAPS) | Aquarium (lowest band, full contribution; member pays R127) | R1,489 | Yes, both options | Marine (top band, full) — R4,318 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
| GEMS | Restricted (public service) | Tanzanite One (lowest salary band, before subsidy) | R1,693 | Yes, every option | Onyx (top band) — R8,598 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
| Medihelp Medical Scheme | Open | MedMove! (income above R900; Student R804) | R1,734 | Only MedMove! and MedMove! Student | MedPlus — R15,486 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
| Bestmed Medical Scheme | Open | Rhythm1 (lowest income band) | R1,736 | Only Rhythm1 and Rhythm2 | Pace4 — R12,572 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
| Medshield Medical Scheme | Open | MediCurve | R1,821 | No | PremiumPlus — R9,489 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
| KeyHealth Medical Scheme | Open | Essence | R2,393 | No | Platinum — R13,840 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
| Sizwe Hosmed Medical Scheme (under curatorship) | Open | Access Core (hospital plan) | R3,161 | No | Titanium Executive — R11,737 | 2026 table · seen 31 Oct 2026 |
Why the lowest contribution is not the whole price
- Hospital networks. Most low-priced options pay in full only at a list of hospitals; elsewhere you pay a co-payment (often 30% or a fixed amount) for a planned admission.
- Income bands. The Medical Schemes Act allows pricing only by income and number of dependants (s 29(1)(n), Act). Banded options are cheapest for low incomes and need proof of income.
- Day-to-day cover. Hospital plans and network options pay few or no GP, medicine and specialist visits outside hospital; the CMS counted R46.3 billion of out-of-pocket payments by scheme members in 2024 (CMS Annual Report 2025/26).
- PMBs stay. Whatever the option, the scheme must pay the Prescribed Minimum Benefits in full at its designated providers (Regulation 8): what PMBs cover.
Hospital-only cover is explained on hospital plan vs medical aid; what the averages are across all schemes, on medical aid in South Africa (CMS average 2026: R3,759 a month per main member).
Cheapest hospital plan? The hospital options in these tables
A hospital plan is a benefit option of a registered scheme that mainly pays for hospital admissions, and like every option it must pay the PMBs in full (hospital plan vs medical aid). These are the options that the schemes compared here name as hospital plans or that their own pages describe as hospital-focused, with the 2026 main-member contribution from each scheme's table (seen 31 October 2026):
| Scheme | Hospital option | Main member a month | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fedhealth | flexiFEDSavvy Hospital Plan ("from") — flexiFED 1 to 4 Hospital Plans R2,051 to R6,620 | R1,155 | Fedhealth Hospital Plans 2026, p. 9 |
| Bestmed | Beat1 Network (N); Beat1 any hospital R2,523 | R2,269 | Beat1 2026 summary, p. 2 |
| Bonitas | BonEssential Select; BonEssential R2,747; Hospital Standard R3,561 | R2,345 | Bonitas 2026 Annexure A |
| Sizwe Hosmed (under curatorship) | Access Core (Hospital Plan) | R3,161 | Sizwe Hosmed 2026 table |
Working out a family's monthly cost
- Take the option's main member, adult dependant and child dependant rates from the scheme's table (each scheme page here reproduces it).
- Count children the scheme's way: most charge at most three.
- For an income-banded option, use the band for your household's verified income.
- Add any late-joiner penalty that applies to you (calculator) and subtract nothing for tax: the medical tax credit comes off your income tax, not the contribution.
Example from the tables: a couple with two children pays 4 × R1,275 = R5,100 a month on Bonitas BonCore, and R5,929 + R5,139 + 2 × R1,740 = R14,548 on Bonitas Standard.
Restricted schemes: check your employer first
Of the 70 registered schemes, 54 are restricted to an employer, industry or profession (CMS Annual Report 2025/26). If you are eligible, they belong in your comparison: GEMS for the public service, POLMED for the SAPS, Bankmed for participating banks, Profmed for professionals. Your employer's subsidy can make a richer option cost you less than a cheap open one.
Switching scheme: what to check
A move to another scheme can bring waiting periods: none if you change because of a new job, up to 3 months if you were covered for more than 24 months and the break is under 90 days, and up to 3 + 12 months after a longer break (s 29A). Most schemes allow option changes only from 1 January. Details: medical aid in South Africa. Complaints against a scheme go to the Council for Medical Schemes.
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Frequently asked questions
Which is the cheapest medical aid in South Africa in 2026?
No official ranking exists. Among the 13 schemes compared here, the lowest published main-member contribution on an open scheme is R645 a month (Momentum Medical Scheme, Ingwe (lowest income band, Ingwe Network or any hospital)); low-priced options usually use hospital networks or income bands.
What is the cheapest Discovery medical aid?
KeyCare Start Regional, from R1,278 a month in the lowest income band; Active Smart costs R1,350 per person (1 April – 31 December 2026).
Is a hospital plan cheaper than medical aid?
A hospital plan is itself a medical aid option, so compare it inside each scheme's table. Fedhealth's flexiFEDSavvy Hospital Plan starts at R1,155 a month for a main member, but some options without that label cost less, such as Momentum Ingwe from R645 in its lowest income band. Hospital plans leave most day-to-day costs to you.
What is the difference between a hospital plan and comprehensive medical aid?
Both are options of a registered medical scheme and both must pay Prescribed Minimum Benefits in full. A hospital plan mainly pays for admissions; a comprehensive option adds day-to-day benefits such as GP visits, medicine and specialists, for a higher contribution.
Is a cheaper medical aid still covered for emergencies?
Yes. Every option must pay Prescribed Minimum Benefits, including emergency medical conditions, in full at the scheme's designated providers (Regulation 8).
Are medical aid prices based on age?
No. Under s 29(1)(n) of the Medical Schemes Act contributions may depend only on income and the number of dependants; a late-joiner penalty can apply from 35 without earlier cover.
What is the cheapest restricted medical scheme?
It depends on your employer: GEMS's lowest option is R1,693 before subsidy, Bankmed's R893 (lowest income band), POLMED's member share R127. Only eligible employees can join.
Sources
- Momentum Medical Scheme — 2026 contribution table (scheme's own document, seen 31 October 2026)
- Bankmed — 2026 contribution table (scheme's own document, seen 31 October 2026)
- Profmed — 2026 contribution table (scheme's own document, seen 31 October 2026)
- Fedhealth Medical Scheme — 2026 contribution table (scheme's own document, seen 31 October 2026)
- Bonitas Medical Fund — 2026 contribution table (scheme's own document, seen 31 October 2026)
- POLMED — 2026 contribution table (scheme's own document, seen 31 October 2026)
- GEMS — 2026 contribution table (scheme's own document, seen 31 October 2026)
- Medihelp Medical Scheme — 2026 contribution table (scheme's own document, seen 31 October 2026)
- Bestmed Medical Scheme — 2026 contribution table (scheme's own document, seen 31 October 2026)
- Medshield Medical Scheme — 2026 contribution table (scheme's own document, seen 31 October 2026)
- KeyHealth Medical Scheme — 2026 contribution table (scheme's own document, seen 31 October 2026)
- Sizwe Hosmed Medical Scheme (under curatorship) — 2026 contribution table (scheme's own document, seen 31 October 2026)
- Discovery Health Medical Scheme — Plan comparison 2026: contributions 1 April – 31 December 2026 (scheme's own brochure)
- Council for Medical Schemes — Annual Report 2025/26 (copy tabled in Parliament, hosted by PMG): register of medical schemes at 31 March 2026, solvency, complaints
- Council for Medical Schemes — Medical Schemes Act 131 of 1998 and Regulations (consolidated copy, Web Archive)