Share

Gems covers mostly first-time members

Johannesburg - Over half of the new members of the Government Employees Medical Scheme (Gems) are getting medical aid cover for the first time, the scheme said on Wednesday.

Gems Trustee Velile Mbethe said they receive over 8 000 new applications for membership every month and have around 1.5 million members currently.

"It is gratifying that many of the scheme's new members are entirely new to the medical schemes market - 54% in fact."

Many schemes have tried over the years to provide benefits that attract lower income members.

"Now Gems is welcoming more and more lower income members, and individuals who have never enjoyed cover before, into its fold," said Mbethe.

The scheme, restricted to government employees, has developed products which appeal to both low and high income earners.

South Africa has about 110 medical schemes, providing cover for an estimated eight million people at a contribution flow of about R80bn, according to the Council for Medical Schemes.
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
19.00
-0.5%
Rand - Pound
23.95
-0.2%
Rand - Euro
20.50
-0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.35
+0.0%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.5%
Platinum
895.30
-0.2%
Palladium
991.47
-1.0%
Gold
2,193.25
-0.1%
Silver
24.44
-0.8%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
67,836
+0.2%
All Share
74,046
+0.2%
Resource 10
56,127
+0.8%
Industrial 25
103,468
+0.2%
Financial 15
16,484
-0.2%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders