Why Combined Health Cover is Essential for Employee Well-Being

Combined medical insurance packages-offering both day-to-day and hospital benefits-provide a robust safety net for South African employees. By ensuring access to private healthcare, these plans promote workforce health, minimise absenteeism, and help attract and retain talented staff.

How Combined Health Insurance Works

A combined employer-sponsored plan merges routine care (like GP visits, acute medicines, and basic dentistry) with in-hospital protection (for accidents, illness, or surgery). Employees benefit from predictable monthly costs and comprehensive support for both minor and major health needs.

• Day-to-day cover ensures employees can see a healthcare practitioner for check-ups or common ailments.
• Hospital benefits protect against large unexpected expenses like surgeries or extended admissions after accidents.
• Support includes access to telephonic consultations, prescription services, and emergency medical response in critical situations.

Advantages for Employers and Workforce

• Improved staff health and productivity with fewer delays in treatment.
• Enhanced workplace morale and reduced financial stress for employees and their families.
• Competitive employee benefits package that supports organisational reputation and retention.

Benefit Overview: Group Combined Cover Options

Affinity Health’s group combined cover range offers a variety of plans tailored for working adults. These include access to:

• Outpatient and routine care (GP, acute medicine, network pharmacy services)
• Private hospitalisation with protection against major medical expenses
• Specialised wellness support such as mental health teleconsultations
• Emergency medical response and transportation as needed

Monthly Cost Examples for Employers

Plan premiums for group combined cover start at approximately R 960 per employee per month for entry options, with enhanced cover and lower excess options available at higher premiums. Employers can choose to subsidise all or part of the monthly contributions as part of staff benefits.

Plan Feature Comparison

Learn more about current employee plan pricing and compare inclusions before selecting the best-fit solution.

Selecting the Right Plan for Your Employees

When choosing a combined health plan for staff, factors to consider include workforce demographics, the scale of cover needed, and overall budget allocation. Plans may be structured to include voluntary member upgrades, family options, or the integration of wellness resources for greater impact.

Implementation Steps for Employers

1. Assess employee healthcare needs and age distribution.
2. Request plan comparisons to identify the preferred mix of day-to-day and hospital benefits.
3. Decide on the employer/employee contribution split for affordability.
4. Onboard staff and provide ongoing support using Affinity Health’s helpdesk and network tools.

Strengthening Workplace Wellness

A comprehensive health package can be the cornerstone of a proactive wellness strategy-reducing sick leave, maximising workplace attendance, and fostering a supportive environment. Access to a vast provider network allows employees to find medical assistance close to work or home. Affinity Health makes it easy to locate a primary care provider and choose nearby hospital facilities as necessary.

Who Benefits from Group Combined Cover?

• Companies of all sizes-small businesses to large enterprises-can offer group cover with predictable pricing per member.
• Workforces in industries with higher accident risks (e.g. manufacturing, transport) gain security from immediate hospitalisation protection.
• Offices in urban and rural areas benefit from access to South Africa’s expansive private healthcare network.
  

Access and Affordability: Key Features

• Employer may select from eight plan combinations to suit business objectives.
• No waiting for public health queues-employees receive expedited private care.
• Cover for major hospitalisation events, day-to-day ailments, wellness consultations, and support for dependants.

For a summary of available options and unique features, access the full group health cover overview. Companies interested in giving their teams quality health protection are encouraged to stay informed on benefit updates and to compare plan details regularly.

Sources

• Affinity Health - Group Cover Options
• Affinity Health - Latest Plan Pricing
• Affinity Health - Provider Locator
• Council for Medical Schemes - Employer Benefits Guide
• Statistics South Africa - Health & Insurance Data