{
    "title": "Medshield 2027: Building on momentum, delivering greater value",
    "modified_at": "2026-09-28 11:00:02",
    "published_at": "2026-09-28 11:00:00",
    "url": "https://news.medshield.media/medshield-2027-building-on-momentum-delivering-greater-value",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/AGPd",
    "culture": "en_ZA",
    "language": "EN",
    "subtitle": "Greater access, enhanced benefits and connected health and financial wellbeing shape Medshield's 2027 offering",
    "slug": "medshield-2027-building-on-momentum-delivering-greater-value",
    "body": "<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>JOHANNESBURG, 28 SEPTEMBER 2026 - Medshield Medical Scheme announced its 2027 benefit options and contributions, delivering a low 7.9% weighted average contribution increase, with 125 603 lives experiencing increases of just 6% to 7.9%. The Scheme grew by 4.5% in membership with an improved age profile in 2025, and the experience continued into 2026. </strong></p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">As one of the most financially stable, open medical schemes in South Africa, Medshield mapped its existing benefits against members&rsquo; needs to identify strengths and gaps, reviewed the competitive landscape and considered the role of modern technology in delivering greater value and access. For 2027, the Scheme has protected its existing benefits, enhanced selected benefit limits, and introduced new benefits: </p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span><strong>Child Dependant Age Increased: </strong>The Child Dependant age increased from 21 to 24 years old, on all benefit options.</span></li><li><span><strong>Co-payments</strong>: Removal and reduction of selected co-payments to reduce out-of-pocket expenses and support affordability.</span></li><li><span><strong>Mental Health Support:</strong> Improved the Mental Health benefit, increasing access to care. </span></li><li><span><strong>Diabetic Retinal AI Screening:</strong> Extended early detection and preventative care, providing proactive chronic care on all plans in 2027.</span></li><li><span><strong>Mediclinic from Home: </strong>Extended hospital support and healthcare professional care from the comfort of your home through the Mediclinic Hospital-at-Home benefit.</span></li><li><span><strong>Innovative Oncology Treatment Co-funding Programme: </strong>Combatting cancer through access to innovative treatment.</span></li><li><span><strong>Integrated Chronic Care Programme:</strong> Improving chronic disease management outcomes at primary care level.</span></li><li><span><strong>Strengthened MediCurve and MediPhila</strong> with additional benefits, extending meaningful healthcare support to more members. </span></li></ul><p style=\"text-align: justify\">&ldquo;Our focus for 2027 ensures that members can afford to retain private healthcare in a challenging economic environment. Over the years, the Scheme has maintained a considered and consistent approach to benefit design and contribution increases, carefully balancing affordability, medical inflation and long-term sustainability while delivering quality benefits and healthcare solutions, financial protection and meaningful support. We will continue to look for opportunities to enhance the value we provide to our members,&rdquo; says Medshield Principal Officer, Kevin Aron.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>Connecting Health And Financial Wellbeing</strong></p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">One such opportunity is Medshield&rsquo;s collaboration with Sanlam, South Africa&rsquo;s largest and leading financial services group. Medshield and Sanlam have signed a distribution agreement recognising Medshield as a Sanlam preferred healthcare partner. This partnership will bring members closer to a more connected health and financial wellbeing experience. </p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Through the collaboration, members will progressively gain access to wellness, gap cover, financial planning, insurance, investment, retirement, banking and rewards solutions across the Sanlam ecosystem. The collaboration also gives members and corporate clients access to Sanlam Gap, Sanlam Reality and Sanlam Wealth, thereby strengthening the value Medshield provides to members and corporate clients through brokers.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">&ldquo;Healthcare decisions do not occur in isolation from the other financial pressures people face. Health and financial wellbeing are closely connected, and through our collaboration with Sanlam we can broaden the conversation,&rdquo; says Aron. We want members to understand not only what they are covered for, but also how to use that cover effectively to achieve better health outcomes and access additional value that can help ease financial pressures.&rdquo;</p>\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--contained release-content-image--align-center\"\n        data-component=\"image-zoom-popup\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-selector=\".release-content-image__image\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-i18n=\"data:application/json;base64,eyJEb3dubG9hZCI6IkRvd25sb2FkIn0=\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-views-event=\"Story Image View\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-download-event=\"Story Image Download\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-placement=\"content\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover\" style=\"width: 100%\">\n            <img\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/be7c6295-0949-4e91-9a30-6261f1576ae3/-/crop/4918x1831/565,0/-/preview/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/\"\n                                    srcset=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/be7c6295-0949-4e91-9a30-6261f1576ae3/-/crop/4918x1831/565,0/-/preview/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/ 1x, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/be7c6295-0949-4e91-9a30-6261f1576ae3/-/crop/4918x1831/565,0/-/preview/-/resize/2400x/-/format/auto/ 2x\"\n                                class=\"release-content-image__image image-thumbnail-rollover__image\"\n                data-description=\"Kevin Aron, Principal Officer of Medshield Medical Scheme\"\n                id=\"image-be7c6295-0949-4e91-9a30-6261f1576ae3\"\n                data-id=\"be7c6295-0949-4e91-9a30-6261f1576ae3\"\n                data-original=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/be7c6295-0949-4e91-9a30-6261f1576ae3/-/crop/4918x1831/565,0/-/preview/-/inline/no/Kevin+Aron+Cropped.jpeg\"\n                data-mfp-src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/be7c6295-0949-4e91-9a30-6261f1576ae3/-/crop/4918x1831/565,0/-/preview/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/\"\n                alt=\"Kevin Aron, Principal Officer of Medshield Medical Scheme\"\n            />\n            <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover__caption\">\n                <svg class=\"icon icon-expand image-thumbnail-rollover__caption-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-expand\"></use>\n            </svg>            </div>\n        </div>\n\n        <figcaption class=\"release-content-image__caption\">Kevin Aron, Principal Officer of Medshield Medical Scheme</figcaption>\n    </figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>More ways for members to access support </strong></p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Medshield continues to strengthen the way members access support, with a focus on making services easier to access across digital, self-service and face-to-face channels.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">The Scheme has expanded its self-administered servicing capabilities, increased capacity, strengthened digital capabilities, enhanced processes, and invested in training and quality assurance.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Key service enhancements include:</p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span><strong>WhatsApp service:</strong> Access to a WhatsApp service agent seven days a week, from Monday to Sunday, supported by a range of self-service functionality.</span></li><li><span><strong>Enhanced Medshield App:</strong> An improved, simpler and more intuitive digital experience, including access to emergency assistance.</span></li><li><span><strong>Expanded face-to-face access:</strong> Medshield&rsquo;s existing seven Regional Offices and Walk-in Centres are complemented by 19 additional walk-in centres, giving members more opportunities to access personalised assistance in person.</span></li><li><span><strong>Enhanced broker support:</strong> Bespoke broker support through dedicated channels, personalised assistance and stronger relationship management and accountability.</span></li></ul><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Together, these channels give members greater choice in how they engage with Medshield, whether through digital self-service, WhatsApp or face-to-face support.</p><p><strong>Looking Ahead To Greater Integrated Value</strong></p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">&ldquo;Our 2027 offering is about more than benefits and contributions. It brings together sustainable benefit design, enhanced benefits, improved service and strategic collaborations to deliver greater value and support across every stage of the healthcare journey.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">&ldquo;That is the bigger picture. And it is what being a Partner for Life means to us: understanding what our members need, evolving with them and being there when it matters most,&rdquo; Aron concludes.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>Fin </strong><em><strong>(Word count 730) </strong></em></p><hr /><a href='https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/578db39b-198f-497e-bbf1-e476f5f4d575/-/inline/no/23092028-medshield-product-launch-media-release-approved.docx' class='release-content-attachment' id='attachment-578db39b-198f-497e-bbf1-e476f5f4d575' data-type='attachment' data-track='Story File Download' data-placement='content' data-id='578db39b-198f-497e-bbf1-e476f5f4d575'>\n    <span class='release-content-attachment__icon'>\n        <svg class=\"icon icon-download\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-download\"></use>\n            </svg>\n    </span>\n    <span class='release-content-attachment__details'>\n        <strong class='release-content-attachment__title'>Click here to download the Word version of this article for easy media use</strong>\n        <em class='release-content-attachment__subtitle'>23092028 Medshield Product Launch Media Release. Approved.docx - 198 KB</em>\n    </span>\n</a><a href='https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/a558a9e2-646f-4e85-9403-d49126f6373c/-/inline/no/kevin-aron-cropped.jpeg' class='release-content-attachment' id='attachment-a558a9e2-646f-4e85-9403-d49126f6373c' data-type='attachment' data-track='Story File Download' data-placement='content' data-id='a558a9e2-646f-4e85-9403-d49126f6373c'>\n    <span class='release-content-attachment__icon'>\n        <svg class=\"icon icon-download\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-download\"></use>\n            </svg>\n    </span>\n    <span class='release-content-attachment__details'>\n        <strong class='release-content-attachment__title'>Click here to download a high-res image of Kevin Aron</strong>\n        <em class='release-content-attachment__subtitle'>Kevin Aron Cropped.jpeg - 2 MB</em>\n    </span>\n</a><div class=\"release-content-contact\" id=\"contact-905f00b2-5d9c-48dc-a57a-f2ab8f57a90f\">\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__avatar\"><img src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/81de2770-047b-48ee-a1f6-905c57978e60/-/crop/536x537/0,2/-/preview/-/scale_crop/128x128/center/-/format/auto/\" alt=\"Willem S Eksteen\" class=\"release-content-contact__avatar-image\" /></div>\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__details\">\n        <strong class=\"release-content-contact__name\">Willem S Eksteen</strong>\n        <em class=\"release-content-contact__description\">Chief Executive, Stone</em>\n        <ul class=\"release-content-contact__details-list\"><li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"mailto:media@stone.consulting\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"media@stone.consulting\"><svg class=\"icon icon-paper-plane release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-paper-plane\"></use>\n            </svg>media@stone.consulting</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"tel:011 447 0168\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"011 447 0168\"><svg class=\"icon icon-phone release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-phone\"></use>\n            </svg>011 447 0168</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"tel:083 272 6304\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"083 272 6304\"><svg class=\"icon icon-mobile release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-mobile\"></use>\n            </svg>083 272 6304</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://stone.consulting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"stone.consulting\"><svg class=\"icon icon-browser release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-browser\"></use>\n            </svg>stone.consulting</a></li></ul>\n    </div>\n</div><div class=\"release-content-contact\" id=\"contact-966418da-62d4-477c-baa9-e67809f3144a\">\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__avatar\"><img src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/4f75a985-b41f-4b0a-bbf8-bf1812e8c5ee/-/crop/477x477/8,0/-/preview/-/scale_crop/128x128/center/-/format/auto/\" alt=\"Kgotso Chauke\" class=\"release-content-contact__avatar-image\" /></div>\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__details\">\n        <strong class=\"release-content-contact__name\">Kgotso Chauke</strong>\n        <em class=\"release-content-contact__description\">Media Consultant, Stone</em>\n        <ul class=\"release-content-contact__details-list\"><li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"mailto:kgotso@stone.consulting\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"kgotso@stone.consulting\"><svg class=\"icon 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target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"stone.consulting\"><svg class=\"icon icon-browser release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-browser\"></use>\n            </svg>stone.consulting</a></li></ul>\n    </div>\n</div><p>&nbsp;</p>",
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