Discovery, SA’s largest medical aid scheme, says that in 2025 monthly contributions for members will increase by a weighted average of 9.3%.
Discovery, SA’s largest medical aid scheme, says that in 2025 monthly contributions for members will increase by a weighted average of 9.3%. Image: File

Home » Discovery to implement significant price increase for members in 2025: Here’s the breakdown

Discovery to implement significant price increase for members in 2025: Here’s the breakdown

Discovery, South Africa’s largest medical aid scheme, has announced that member monthly contributions will increase by a weighted average of 9.3% in 2025.

18-09-24 16:04
Discovery, SA’s largest medical aid scheme, says that in 2025 monthly contributions for members will increase by a weighted average of 9.3%.
Discovery, SA’s largest medical aid scheme, says that in 2025 monthly contributions for members will increase by a weighted average of 9.3%. Image: File

Discovery, South Africa’s largest medical aid provider, has revealed that member monthly contributions will rise by an average of 9.3% in 2025

Across the ever-growing number of plans that Discovery offers, contributions will rise between 7.4% and 10.9%.

The group were quick to point out that around half (50%) of its members can expect a contribution increase of 8.4% or less.

Subject to CMS approval

Discovery confirmed that its contribution increases and benefit updates for next year have been submitted to the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) for approval.

Subject to the CMS’ approval, the increases and benefit updates will kick in from 1 January 2025.

However, Discovery’s planned hikes are outside of the CMS’ recommendations.

According to BusinessTech, in August this year, the CMS published its recommendations and pricing guidelines for 2025, urging medical aid schemes in the country to cap their hikes.

The CMS asked medical aid schemes to attempt to keep pricing as close to CPI as possible, recommending a 4.4% increase, plus “reasonable utilisation estimates”.

Private medical inflation typically exceeds CPI by 2% to 3%, thus a “reasonable” increase for 2025 would be somewhere in the range of 6.4% to 7.7%.

Discovery’s weighted average, as detailed above, comes in considerably higher at 9.3%.

Find the full contributions table for 2025 here

DISCOVERY MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION CHANGES FOR 2025

Main member20242025Rand increase% Increase
Executive planR10 303R11 430R1 12710.94%
Classic ComprehensiveR8 381R9 298R91710.94%
Classic Smart ComprehensiveR7 163R7 945R78210.92%
Classic PriorityR5 272R5 796R5249.94%
Essential PriorityR4 531R4 981R4509.93%
Classic SaverR4 182R4 535R3538.44%
Classic Delta SaverR3 342R3 624R2828.44%
Essential SaverR3 351R3 634R2838.45%
Essential Delta SaverR2 673R2 898R2258.42%
Coastal SaverR3 423R3 797R37410.93%
Classic SmartR2 627R2 822R1957.42%
Essential SmartR1 881R2 021R1407.44%
Essential Dynamic SmartR1 565R1 681R1167.41%
Classic CoreR3 322R3 652R3309.93%
Classic Delta CoreR2 659R2 923R2649.93%
Essential CoreR2 855R3 138R2839.91%
Essential Delta CoreR2 281R2 507R2269.91%
Coastal CoreR2 714R3 011R29710.94%

Other changes

Meanwhile, in other changes for 2025, Discovery has introduced a new entry-level plan in the Smart series, called Active Smart with contributions of just R1 350 per month.

It says this “is designed around the unique needs of young professionals starting their careers.

Active Smart, like the three other ‘smart’ plans – Classic, Essential and Essential Dynamic – has no medical savings account.

Main member20242025Rand increase% Increase
Active SmartR1 350N/A

Finally, according to Moneyweb, Discovery said that all members of Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) will be able to access “up to R10 000 in risk-funded benefits for day-to-day medical expenses each year” through the new Personal Health Fund.

These benefits, which depend on the member’s plan and family composition, are accumulated “by completing health actions recommended in their Personal Health Pathway”.

It added “Personal Health Pathways offers each member a precise and personalised health journey based on their unique healthcare needs, dynamically adapting as the member’s health status evolves. Members are rewarded for completing personalised health and exercise actions and developing sustained healthy habits over time”.