Liberty Medical Scheme (LMS) has introduced a new top-end medical plan option this month which covers all benefits from risk. “Unlike other options with a savings component, Prestige covers all benefits from risk. This means the member will never have to worry about savings running out,” said executive principal officer, Andrew Edwards.
The Prestige option is available immediately to new members, however, existing members who wish to change plan can only upgrade as of January 2013. The monthly premiums are as follows: principal member: R4 487, adult dependant: R3 951 and child R1064. This new offering brings the number of options available to LMS members to 11.
Prestige’s major medical benefits include hospitalisation, disease management, chronic benefits including HIV/Aids and maternity benefits. LMS said that the Prestige plan covers the cost of admissions to private hospitals, including the hospital and associated costs such as consultation, pathology and radiology fees. Members can also choose any hospital, GP or specialist. Specialist fees will be covered at 300% of the LMS rate and GPs at 200% of the LMS rate.
The plan provides cover for alternatives to hospitalisation, should the Prestige member be in need of terminal care or rehabilitation following an accident. It covers the 27 conditions listed on the chronic disease list (CDL), as well as 41 other chronic conditions, while maternity benefits include: ante-natal classes per pregnancy, private wards for maternity admissions, pregnancy scans, delivery by a GP or specialist, services of the attendant paediatrician and/or anaesthetists and post-natal care and consultations by a GP or specialist, among other things.
Medical expenses incurred as a result of crime trauma (such as hijacking, murder and rape) will also be covered from this benefit. In terms of casualty admission, Prestige will cover the facility fee, consultations, medications, radiology and pathology associated with admission into the emergency room or casualty of a registered casualty facility.
Prestige will also cover the cost of diagnostic and minor surgical procedures which can be performed in the doctor’s room, attached theatre or day clinic, as well as funding two out-of-hospital MRI/CT scans per beneficiary, with no co-payment but subject to certain conditions.
Prestige members will be assigned a service consultant who will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “In designing Prestige, every care possible has been taken to ensure that members enjoy a complete and exceptional service experience with access to the highest quality healthcare, once again demonstrating the LMS promise of ‘We Care. For You’,” concludes Edwards.